Of Men and Monsters
by TommyGun15
Summary: In their travels, Finn and Jake have met six mortal beings that can claim to remember the Great Mushroom War. When they open a vault in the mountains, they meet the seventh, and he may prove to be either their greatest ally, or deadliest enemy. Same timeline as After The Bombs Fell. Please, read and review. Getting feedback helps improve my writing. Might become a series.
1. Lost and Found

**Disclaimer: I don't own Prototype or Adventure Time**

**Anyway, this is an idea I've had bouncing around in my brain. I'm a bit worried people won't like it, which is why it took so long for me to start on, then i just said "Those people can just deal with it" and started writing. Let me know what you think.**

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Of Men and Monsters

_There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them._

- Andre Gilde

Chapter 1

Finn swung his new sword through the air a few times, testing its balance. Though neither too heavy nor too light, the balance just felt wrong. Ever since freeing Jake from Kee-Oth's Pit of Despair, Finn hadn't been able to find a sword that felt as good as his demon-blood sword had been. Finn sighed and put the sword back into its scabbard, continuing down the road.

"Hey Finn," Jake asked him quietly, "what's wrong? You ain't still bummed about losing your sword, ain't ya?"

"No. I'm just trying to get used to this new sword is all."

Finn's new sword was of simple design. It had a shiny, bronze pommel, and a steel blade. It also had small emerald, about the size of a large marble, embedded in the cross-guard. It wasn't as long as the demon-blood sword, but the blade was heavier so it weighed about the same. Finn had found it in the pile of loot in their basement. It had been dull, and a bit rusty when he found it, but a good sharpening and polishing had made it look good as new.

"Hey, don't worry man, you'll get used to it. You'll be fighting evil like usual in no time." Jake told him

"Yeah, your right. So, how far are we from this vault anyways?"

They were out on a mission. PB had given them a map with directions to an old pre-war vault out in the badlands. She said something about technological wonders and lost secrets that would end up being beneficial to the kingdom. Of course, they would probably have gone with or without being told that.

"We're about a mile away, according to the map." Jake reported.

"Awww, YEAH!" Finn shouted, his usual vigor back. He raced ahead of Jake, who had to stretch to catch up, and soon the two were running down the path, ready for whatever the vault contained.

Or so they thought.

* * *

A dark shape sat in an even darker room. Though it was patient, this being had begun to think that it would never escape, never again be able to feed. The exit mechanism had broken long ago, and trying to break down the door would bury it. So here it sat, starving, awaiting the opening of the vault, or the end of the world.

The door of the vault creaked open, its ancient hinges groaning with one-thousand years of rust. The monster of the vault opened its eyes, and smiled.

* * *

Finn peered into the darkness. He looked at Jake and said, "Whoa, how old do you think this place is?" Jake shrugged "It looks at least as old as the Lich's lair." Finn shivered, remembering the old underground ruin where he'd first fought the Lich. "What do you think we'll find in here?" Finn asked. "I don't, know," Jake replied "but we won't find out by standing around." Jake then walked into the dark vault, which gaped from the side of the mountain it'd been built into like the maw of a prehistoric beast. Finn followed him, lighting a torch as he walked.

They made their way through an abandoned hallway. The walls were lined with dusty electric lights, that looked as if they hadn't been lit in years. They walked through the darkness, descending several sets of stairs. They came to a sign, long faded, but still legible.

"What does it say?" Finn asked. Jake read it "It looks like, directions to the power switch." He replied "Well, that's handy."

They followed the signs and eventually reached an old machine. It was large, and looked mostly unused. There were no instructions, but the large lever that had the word "LIGHTS" written next to it gave a distinct clue about the machine's function. Finn approached the lever.

"you don't seriously think that after all this time that machine would still-" But the words died on his lips as Finn pulled the lever and the machine sputtered and hummed to life. The light flickered on and from somewhere in the distance, music started playing. Finn looked at Jake and nodded. The two silently made their way up the stairs again and towards the music.

Finally, they reached a large doorway. From beyond the music played, the soft, sad sound of a violin. Together they both rushed into the room, screaming battle cries, Finn with his sword drawn, Jake having grown to three times his normal size. What they saw amazed them.

Beyond the door, several halls lead further into the vault. The ceiling lead up, unbelievably high, with even more hallways on each floor. "What is this place" Jake asked. "This entire mountain looks hollow," Finn stated with disbelief. From the ceiling of this massive foyer hung the largest chandelier either one had ever seen. It was large enough to build a house on, and shone like a crystal sun.

The music that they'd followed came from an old record player, sitting at the side of the room. In the center of the room, directly underneath the chandelier, sat a man. He was covered in dust, and looked as if he hadn't moved in centuries. His eyes were closed, and he didn't even seem to breathe.

"Is that what I think it is?" Jake exclaimed.

They both approached the man.

"It sure looks like a human." Finn said, "a REAL human too, not a fish-head mutant." "Is he dead or something?" Jake asked. "It looks like it," Finn stated "I don't think this guy has moved in years."

Just then the record player stopped playing. Finn and Jake looked away from the man for a minute. When they looked back, he was standing.

"AAAHHH!" They screamed simultaneously. They fell backwards and landed flat on their backs. The man opened his eyes. He stared at the open door, inhaled, and then, he spoke.

"To answer your question, no I am not dead, nor have I moved in years."

Finn stood up and looked at the now moving man. "Who are you?" he asked "and what are you doing in this vault." The man eyed him and said "Well, I guess telling you couldn't hurt. My name is Alex, Alex Mercer. The reason I am in this vault is because, well, I had nowhere else to go. I had wandered for a few years, found this place and locked myself in."

The man named Alex was now walking through the halls of the vault, making his way towards the exit. Finn was following him, listening. Jake trailed a few feet behind the two, curious, but also suspicious. How could a human have survived so long down here alone?

"Inside, I found several people, and collections of music, books, and various other things of the like. The others quickly died out, and soon only I remained." Alex continued. "So, if you were alive this whole time, why were the lights off, and why did you look so, dead?" Finn asked him.

"The lights were off because after going through all the books, music, movies, and other junk, I got bored. So I turned off the lights, and slept, and now you two have opened the door for me, so now I can leave."

The three walked on in silence, before Jake worked up the nerve to ask, "How long have you been in this vault anyway?" Alex looked back at him, his face unreadable. "Almost a thousand years, and after all that time, I am _starving._"

Finally they neared the exit. Jake stopped and tapped Finn on the shoulder. He whispered in Finn's ear "Watch out Finn, this guy is giving me the creeps, keep your guard up for if he tries something."

"What are you whispering about?" Alex called to them. Jake laughed nervously "Oh just telling Finn here how delighted the princess would be to see you, when we take you to meet her." Alex was quiet for a moment, then stared at them with a sad gaze.

"I'm sorry, you seem like good people, even if one of you is a talking animal, but you aren't leaving."

It took them about a second to figure out what Alex meant. Finn drew his new sword and got into a fighting stance, as Jake grew to about twice normal size.

Alex continued to stare at them.

"Again, I'm sorry. It's just that I haven't eaten in almost a millennium, and you can't expect me to control myself when fresh meat just wanders up to me can you?"

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**Well, there it is, chapter one. This is probably going to be another long fic, so let me know what you think. The more feedback I get, the more my writhing can improve. TommyGun15 out.**


	2. Battle and War

**Disclaimer: I don't own Prototype or Adventure Time**

**I am think I might make this a series, you know, if I can keep getting ideas. Let me know what you think. Every bit of feedback helps.**

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Chapter 2

The Vault

Finn's POV

Alex lunged forward, faster than either of their minds could process. His fist slammed into Jake's face, sending him flying backwards.

"Jake!" Finn shouted

Alex rushed towards Finn, his fists raised. Finn, reacting purely on instinct, swung his sword up to block. He knocked Alex's arm to the side, but somehow it wasn't cut. Finn followed up with a few quick strikes at Alex's face, but he deflected them all. Finn raised his sword over his head and brought it down on Alex's face. Alex's hand shot up, and he blocked the swing with his forearm. The sword sank in a few centimeters, a single drop of blood ran down Alex's arm.

Alex smiled coldly, "Well, not bad kid." He then dislodged the blade and leapt back few feet. His right arm shifted and changed into a large blade, while his left arm became a shield. "Under any other circumstances, we might have been friends, but this fight is over." Alex dashed forward.

Finn and Alex traded blows for a few minutes, Finn unable to get past Alex's shield arm, and Alex unable to hit the much more skilled Finn. Alex never really got good at real sword-play, but his speed and strength more than made up for it. Finn was still fighting Alex when he began to tire. Alex swung his blade at Finn, who blocked with his own sword. The two were pushing against each other, swords locked, when Alex's left arm changed back from a shield and Alex gave Finn a right hook across the face.

Finn sailed backwards, further into the vault. He landed hard on his back, bruised but not broken. Then he saw Alex's new transformation.

His arms had shifted into two razor-sharp claws. Alex ran towards Finn, and pounced at him like a panther, claws outstretched to shred Finn to pieces. Finn raised his sword in the air, pointing it at Alex. Alex's momentum carried him forward, impaling himself on the end of Finn's blade.

Finn kept his hand on the sword, standing up. Alex's hands had changed back to normal, but he was still coming, pushing himself closer to Finn, driving the blade deeper into his body. Finn panicked, and kicked Alex back, letting go of his weapon.

Alex stumbled backwards, leaning against a wall. Then he stood straight, the light shining from the door giving a perfect view of the sword stuck trough his torso. The point of the blade was sticking a full foot out of his back. Finn looked at Alex, _"No one can survive that"_ he thought. Yet Alex gripped the handle of the blade with both hands and slowly began to pull it from his body. Finn began to feel the first twinges of true panic grip him as he realized that he had no weapon.

Then a large yellow fist shot out from behind him and punched Alex, sending him flying out the door of the vault. Finn turned around to see Jake, bruised and his nose bent at an unnatural angle, but alive. Finn smiled at him and the two walked out into the open.

They looked out over the edge of the cliff outside the door of the vault. In the distance they could see a man, pushing himself up off the ground. Jake made himself huge, Finn jumped up his back and the two of them ran as fast as they could.

"Oh my glob Finn, what kind of monster was that guy? He just wouldn't die!" "Whatever he was, he's a menace to the kingdom. We've got to warn PB about this." Finn replied. The two then spend off towards the candy kingdom.

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Alex's POV

Alex picked himself up off the ground, pulling the sword out of his stomach. He looked up at the side of the mountain. Those two adventurers, what were there names, Finn and Jake, was it? The two of them were running like the devil himself was following, the dog a huge version of himself, the boy on his back. Alex couldn't muster much hate for them. Honestly he didn't want to attack them, it's just... his every instinct was telling him that he had to find food.

Alex walked off into the nearby forest. As he walked, he thought about his fight with the two. Though he wasn't entirely proud of attacking them, he had to admit it was the most fun he'd had since the bombs first fell. Since Dana...

Dana.

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_Flashback_

_He was sitting next to her, they were watching the news. The news man gave a panicked report about how a nuclear missile had been launched at the city. Alex picked Dana up bridal style and ran out the door. He was running as fast as he could. Yet about halfway to the nearest bridge, a shockwave rocked the city, and Alex stumbled. He looked back and saw the fast approaching wave of flame. Alex's mind panicked. He saw an alleyway and ducked into it. He held Dana close and whispered "It'll be alright."_

_Then the wave of flame over took them. Alex closed his eyes, and when he opened them Dana, his sister was..._

* * *

Alex dismissed the thought, and continued moving through the forest. He eventually came upon some poor random stranger wandering in the woods. They had blue skin, wore Viking armor, and were extremely muscular. Alex approached from behind, and attacked.

It was the most satisfying kill he'd ever made.

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn and Jake rushed through the doors of the candy palace, and ran up the stairs. They found the princess in her lab as always, doing sciencey, things.

"Princess Bubblegum! Princess Bubblegum!" They both began screaming. "What is it?" she asked, slightly annoyed. Amidst a flurry of unintelligible sound, the two managed to convey the gist of what had happened.

"Oh, no." she said. "Do you know where he's going next?"

They both gave her guilty looks. "Well," Finn began. "he might have seen us coming this way, and followed us"

"What!" she screamed. She then began pacing. "Okay, this is bad, we need to get some help." "Like who?" Finn asked. "Call up the banana guards, Marceline, and though I hate to say it, The Ice King. We'll need all the help we can get. And get yourself a new sword!"

Eight hours later

Finn looked at the ragtag team they had gathered. After him and Jake had received medical attention, Finn had picked out a new sword made from a carbon treated rock candy. It was inedible, but stronger than steel, with a blade sharp enough to shave with. It still didn't feel right, but it was the best he could get on short notice.

In their group was him and Jake, Marceline with her axe-bass guitar, and the Ice King, who'd been informed that he'd be put in the dungeon if he tried anything. Finn had called an extra number for help, but they hadn't shown up, and he doubted they would. Either way they were pretty much ready for war, war against a one man army.

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Alex's POV

Alex had walked in the direction he'd seen Finn and Jake go. Whenever he asked himself why he was following them, he couldn't find an answer. After a while, he supposed it was to ask for forgiveness. That wasn't usually his kind of thing, but he was completely lost in this world, and they would probably make more valuable friends than enemies.

He kept walking, through the day and into the night. Finally he found himself standing before the gates of a large kingdom. There were two giant gumball machines, one on each side, blowing bubbles. The even stranger thing was that the entire place was made from candy. Alex found several guards patrolling the wall. He consumed one, quietly, and made his way towards the castle. Finally he stood before the doors. He slowly opened them, knowing that they would probably be hostile at first. He dropped the Banana disguise and walked in.

Alex took in the scene before him. There were four people in the throne room, waiting for him, the two adventurers Finn and Jake, an old man in a blue robe, who looked slightly familiar, and a girl who's clothes and skin were pink. Alex opened his mouth to speak, but then a huge weight cut into his back. He spun around to see... nothing. Then he was hit in the back again. Frustrated, Alex activated his armor ability, and changed his arm into his blade.

He glared at the four before the throne and said, "If that's how you want this to go, then COME ON!"

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**That's my second chapter. Let me know what you think. Please R&R.**


	3. Ice and Fire

**Disclaimer: I do not own Adventure Time of Prototype, Though that'd be really cool.**

**Please Read and Review, constructive criticism helps to motivate me to write and improve the quality of my work. Also, Alex has some new tricks in this chapter**

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Chapter 3

Finn's POV

Finn wasn't surprised by the blade arm, and the armor wasn't much of a stretch. What really surprised him was the fact that Alex's speed had at least doubled. He was across the room before Finn could raise his sword. Finn found himself staring at the point of Alex's blade, held in the air by his throat.

Alex momentarily dropped his armor and gave Finn a cold glare, "I suppose I can't blame you, after all, I did try to kill you. Well, let's get this over." he told Finn.

Finn suddenly found himself falling as Alex's hand separated from the rest of his arm. Finn was confused for a moment, but the he remembered, Marceline had gone invisible. He'd have to thank her after this fight was over.

Finn then had to scoot backwards quickly as Alex's blade arc toward him while he sat on the ground. Finn barely managed to avoid becoming minus one leg. He then sprang to his feet, sword swinging. his blade met Alex's, whose armor was back. Finn was at least relieved to see that Alex's left arm was gone. Then Alex's left hand punched him in the face.

* * *

Alex's POV

The boy he'd been fighting flew backwards across the room. Alex then placed his foot on his severed hand. The hand melted and the biomass rejoined his body. Alex then turned his attention on the other people in the room.

The old man and dog had taken the time he and Finn had fought to encircle him. The pink girl had disappeared, probably running for help, or to save her own skin. The dog began to advance, while blue light began to shine in the old man's hands. Alex switched over to his claws and attacked the dog. the dog had some strange powers, he kept shifting and changing shape. Alex would be fighting him in one place, and get hit by a giant fist from behind.

Next eventually the dog changed tactics, surrounding Alex in a dome of orange, pelting him from all sides. Alex swung his blade left and right, but no matter where he swung the dome would move away from him in that direction, and slam him from behind. Finally Alex jumped into the air, the dome stayed in place, as Alex had hoped. He grabbed the dog dome and twisted it. The dog screamed in pain, and he kicked it to the side of the room.

Then everything went cold.

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn blinked his eyes open, shaking the dizziness from his head. He scooped his sword up and leapt to his feet, to be greeted by an unexpected sight. Alex was frozen in a block of ice. Bringing the Ice King in to help had been a smart move after all. The princess was gone, but she was probably safe. Finn went over to talk to the others.

Jake sat to the side nursing a few bruised ribs, though largely unharmed. Finn walked over and sat down next to him.

"Hey Jake," Finn said, "what happened?" Jake smiled and said "I started kicking his buns, until he threw me. Then the ice king froze him." Finn scanned the room "where's Marcy?"

Finn's question was answered by a pinch on the arm and a disembodied voice saying "What am I, invisible?" Then the grey skinned vampire girl slowly faded into view. "Nice to see you awake again sleeping beauty." she said sarcastically. Finn blushed slightly, "Hey, Marcy." "Yeah Finn?" "Thanks for the save back there. That guy would have taken my head off." Marceline smiled and gave him a light punch on the shoulder, "Any time Finn."

Suddenly a loud cracking sound filled the room and everyone was pelted with chunks of ice. Alex Mercer stood, free from the ice. He glared everyone in the room and said,

"Round two"

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Alex's POV

Alex leapt into the air, and cut the cord holding the chandelier in place. It came crashing to the floor, lighting on fire, which left only a small circle of light to see by. He then stood upside-down on the ceiling, a little trick he'd perfected while locked in the vault. From here he was completely hidden, and used this opportunity to survey his opponents. He saw the two adventurers, and the old man standing on the floor, huddling near the fire. For a second he could have sworn there was a fourth person, a girl he hadn't seen before.

When he once again felt a heavy chop to his back, he realize three things. One, the girl was, and had always been there, just invisible. Two, she somehow could see in the dark, like he could. Third, somehow, she could either walk on walls, or fly. Alex then got an idea. He switched his vision over to the thermal spectrum and took a look around.

He could see three people around one bright spot. The rest of the world was light blue. Then he saw a dark blue, humanoid shape raced towards him. It swung something towards him, and Alex formed his blade and blocked. Then he began to truly battle.

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn stood in the light of the flames, Jake on one side, Ice King on the other. Marceline was somewhere in the shadows, invisible, using he night-vision to fight their hidden enemy. The clashing of weapons filled the air, as the two invisible forces clashed. Somehow Alex had found a way to detect Marcy.

Suddenly a wet chopping sound is heard, the sound of a heavy blade hitting a person. Blood rains from the void in a thin stream, forming a grisly pool at the edge of the firelight. Finn held his breath in anticipation. Marcy must have gotten a hit on Alex. The sound of the fighting had stopped.

Then something fell.

It hit the ground with a thump. This was it. The fight between Alex and Marceline was over.

It was Marceline's axe.

Alex walked into the firelight, dragging Marceline's limp form behind him. He lifted her up for them all to see, and threw her towards them. She had a large stab wound in the stomach, the blood on Alex's blade leaving no doubt about what had caused it. She wasn't moving, save for a few faint breaths. They had to end this fight quickly.

Or Marceline would die.

Then, as if the answer to a prayer, a bright warm light shone behind Alex. A single candle, burning against a black background.

She'd gotten his call.

* * *

Several hours ago

Finn picked up the phone, dialing a number he hadn't called in weeks. Ever since they'd broken up, and his girlfriend, the Princess of Flame, had taken over her father's kingdom, they hadn't talked at all. On one hand, he didn't want to put her in any more danger, but on the other, she was the one of the most powerful people he knew. He needed her help.

The phone began to ring. Finn waited.

"Hello," a bored voice said, "this is the receptionist for the Flame Queen, how may I help you?"

"Yes this is Finn the Human speaking, I'd like to speak to the queen."

"Thank you for notifying us, we will relay your request and send a reply in a few months."

"WAIT, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!"

"What kind of emergency?"

"The kind that could threaten all of Ooo! We need the queen at the Candy Palace."

"Thank you. We will send this to the Flame Queen at some point today and she may or may not be able to help. Have a nice day."

The total honesty law that the new queen had imposed in the Fire Kingdom could get annoying at times. She would probably not come, but he had to hope she would help.

* * *

Present

Now here she was, dressed in golden armor that swirled like magma. She surveyed the scene, and almost immediately seemed to understand what was going on. She raised her hand, and a large fireball formed over it.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex was ready to finish them. If he couldn't get information through cooperation, he'd just consume them and get information that way. Then suddenly his eyes, still on the thermal spectrum, noticed an increase in temperature. He slowly looked behind him, and was blinded.

Switching back to normal vision, he saw that the source of the incredible heat was a girl, about fourteen or fifteen. She gave off light, and heat, as if she were made of fire. then she tossed a fireball at him. He sped out of the way, barely avoiding a nasty burn. Then he jumped up to the roof again.

Alex knew he couldn't fight her head on, so he tried another unorthodox tactic. He switched over to his hammer fists and, taking full advantage of being mostly invisible, started hammering away at the roof above her head. Soon it began to fall, and he jumped clear of the rubble as it fell. Soon it was just a pile of rocks where she once stood. Then he leapt back on top of the pile, and face the others.

"Is there anyone else I should know about?" he asked sarcastically. The three remaining people had looks ranging from fear, to concern. He then began to notice the floor heating up below him.

The a tower of white-hot flames incinerated him.

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**Hmmm, didn't feel all that strong in some parts, let me know what you think.**


	4. Plans and Dangers

**Disclaimer: I don't own Prototype or Adventure Time.**

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Chapter 4

Finn's POV

Alex Mercer stood atop the rubble that had buried Flame Princess (Finn just couldn't stop calling her that). He looked down at Finn and Co. and Finn began to panic slightly. With that kind of destruction, FP must be dead, and without medical attention, Marceline would soon bleed to death. Of Finn's four or five best friends, Alex had just killed, (or severely wounded) two of them. Finn gripped his sword, ready to charge.

Then Alex was engulfed in a pillar of white-hot flame.

A thirty-foot column of fire blasted from the rubble, melting it and shooting up through the hole in the roof and into the night sky. Finn turned his eyes away, his eyes and skin stinging from the intense light and heat. When he turned around, Alex was gone.

The pile of rubble had melted into molten rock, leaving a circle of red-hot stone in the middle of the room. All that remained was a black soupy puddle, and the Princess. She stood in the middle on the circle, her face radiating fire, like it always did when she got angry. Slowly, she calmed down, and her face returning to normal. Finn walked up to her.

The red-hot rock seared his shoes, but they still insulated enough to allow him to walk. When he was a few feet from her Finn stopped. He stared at her, trying to think of something to say. He didn't have to wait long.

"I got your message." She said, her voice polite, but still all business. Finn awkwardly tried to think of something to say, so he just said the first thing that came to mind.

"I, um, it's nice to see you." He managed to stutter.

She scowled slightly and shot a glance at the puddle of black slime, ignoring his pathetic attempt at conversation.

"It looks like you DID need my help," she said "so who was that guy? Or do I not want to know?"

Finn quickly filled her in on the events of the past day. Her expression remained neutral throughout the conversation. She didn't ask many questions, except for the obvious, "What were you thinking leading a menace like that back here", and Finn began to feel a bit less anxious. When he was finished Flame Princess (Finn had given up) looked over at the slime again.

"Well, at least he's dead now."

Then the slime lunged for Finn.

* * *

Alex's POV

Pain.

That was all he felt.

There was no other sensation, besides pain.

Then he sensed something alive near him,

and he lunged for it.

* * *

Finn's POV

The black mass leapt towards Finn, too fast for him to stop. Then, a few inches from his face, it stopped.

It hung in midair, suspended in a large green bubble. A single beam of green light led away from the bubble, and at the end of the beam, PB stood there, aiming a green laser at the slime.

Finn watched as she walked towards the bubble, then placed a small blue cube in front of it. A ray of blue light shot out and kept the green bubble suspended in the air. Then PB put away the ray gun.

"Sorry I left guys," She told them "it's just, when I saw that man overpower Finn, I panicked and ran to my lab. I found this entrapment gun and cube, and thought I could use it to stop him. I guess I had pretty good timing." She looked around a bit. "So is everyone alrigh..." Then her eyes fell upon Marceline.

"Call the doctor!"

* * *

A Few Hours Later

Marceline lay in a white hospital bed. She hadn't regained consciousness yet, but the doctor said that she'd gotten medical attention before infection set in, so she should be okay. Still, Finn couldn't help but feel useless.

She was one of his best friends, and she'd almost gotten killed, all because Finn hadn't been strong enough to stop Mercer.

Princess Bubblegum put her hand on his shoulder, and motioned towards her lab. Finn stood from his chair, and followed her.

In her lab Alex sat inside the green bubble, absently tapping the tip of his claw against the side of his prison. He'd reformed hours ago, clothes and all, and immediately began trying to break out of his prison. Then The Princess had said something about force reversal fields, and relative energy conden-whatsit, Finn had no idea what she meant, but Alex had just frowned and sat down. Now, they had to decide what to do with him.

Alex started talking before they could.

"You both know you can't destroy me, and a reverse energy condensation field takes too much energy to keep up indefinitely. So, what are you going to do with me?"

Finn didn't know what to say. He didn't speak science talk, but the gist of what he understood was that they couldn't keep him in that bubble for long. They had to figure something out.

Then the Princess spoke up.

"I have an idea." She said. She walked into her machine closet, and came back with a large metal rod. She walked over to the bubble, and jabbed it through the green bubble. It passed through it with ease, and she stuck it into the back of Alex's neck. He flinched, then gave an indignant scowl. When the Princess pulled the rod back , it left a small metal probe on Alex's skin.

Finn frowned "So what does that do?" He asked. The Princess then produced a small remote control from a pocket on her lab coat. It was short, and had a dial with numbers one through ten around it, and a single red button. She set the dial to four, and pressed the button.

The probe began to spin, burrowing into Alex's skin, which regenerated almost instantly. He gritted his teeth a bit, but didn't seem injured.

Then an electrical shock coursed through him.

Alex dropped to his hands and knees, immobilized. Then the green bubble dissipated, dropping Alex to the floor.

"WHY YOU LITTLE!"

Alex tried to rush the Princess, but she simply turned the dial to five and continued to hold down the button. Alex stumbled, but continued to advance. With a cold, methodical, and almost ruthless look at him, she slowly turned the dial up. When it got to nine, Alex finally stopped, and fell.

"This remote controls the probe I've planted in your body." The Princess said "Whenever someone presses the button, you will receive a painful electric shock. The higher the dial is set, the stronger it will be."

Finn knew Alex was an enemy, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this was wrong.

The Princess continued, "For crimes against my kingdom, and because we can't just lock you up, I hereby sentence you to community service. Until such time as I consider your service to be fulfilled, I will release you into the custody of a parole officer, who will watch until they decide you can be trusted."

Then she turned to Finn.

"Finn The Human, do you accept the responsibility of guarding this criminal, and ensuring that he harms no one else during his periods of parole and community service?"

Finn was a bit surprised. He didn't expect the princess to give parole, and he sure didn't expect her to ask him to handle such a responsibility. Finn didn't really feel this was a good idea, but he didn't have much choice.

"I accept" he told her.

The princess handed him the controller, then passed him an envelope. Finn looked at it, it said: For Finn and Jake only. Finn turned to Alex.

"Okay, we're leaving now. Start moving."

Alex stood up, and walked out of the room, with Finn following.

* * *

Alex's POV

Those two adventurers that he'd met were now his parole officers, how ironic. Alex marched along the road, it seemed to go endlessly through a field of green rolling hills. His "wardens" were trailing behind him, arguing about something. They seemed to be reading the contents of that envelope. By stealing a few quick glances at them, he saw there were two pieces of paper.

Suddenly, a large gust of wind blew one of the papers out of the Boy, what was his name? Finn, that's right. It blew a paper out of Finn's hand. It blew by Alex's head, and he reached out and snatched it. After quickly reading it, he let it go. The wind blew it far, far away, and it was gone. That earned him a shock, but it was worth it.

Then, as the sun went down, Alex saw a tree house in the distance. It wasn't just a house in a tree, but a full-sized tree, that was also a house. The two adventurers sped up, and Alex kept in step with them.

They gave him a basic tour of the tree house, then told him he'd be sleeping on the couch. Then they went to bed.

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn lay in his bed, thinking over today's events. His thoughts were disturbed by Jake.

"Finn, I still don't think this is a good idea. It feels like we have The Lich himself in our living room. He could bust in here and kill us at any moment."

Finn figured Jake wouldn't let it rest. They had argued about the wisdom of this idea the entire way home. Even if the letter had made a strange kind of sense, it was a crazy idea. Still, he didn't want to disappoint PB.

"Look Jake," Finn said "maybe this is a bad idea. But this could also be good. This guy is crazy strong, he could help us out in dungeons and stuff."

"Whatever man," Jake replied "I'll never convince you."

Finn pulled out the letter and read it over one more time.

_Dear Finn and Jake,_

_Your probably wondering why I'm doing this. Well, Finn heard what was said about how we can't kill this Mercer person, and my kingdom has many enemies, as you are both no doubt aware. I figure that if we can't get rid of Alex, then we could at least use him. If we can get him to work for use, even possibly make an ally out of him, the Candy Kingdom would be all the more safe._

_I trust the two of you to keep an eye on him, and make sure he doesn't become a threat again. I'm counting on you two._

_PB._

_P.S. Until Alex IS an ally, don't let him out of your sight._

Unfortunately, that was where the first page ended, so hopefully the rest wasn't important. Then again, if it wasn't in the main message, it couldn't have been that important.

* * *

Elsewhere

The floating page of the letter came to rest at the foot of a large tree. It unfolded itself and lay upon the ground. As it lay there, the contents of the page could be made out.

_He can shift the biomass within his body, similar to the way Jake does. If you've left him unsupervised to read this paper, then run, because in the time it would take to read this paper, he will have already removed the probe, and will likely be on his way to KILL YOU!_

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex stared at the ceiling, staring at the probe in his hand. Such a tiny thing, yet they expected it to control him.

He thought about killing them, but then again, him did try to kill them first. He'd been starving, but their rather, negative reaction to his reappearance was understandable.

Besides, he'd had enough fighting for today.

Alex crushed to probe in his hands, and went to sleep.

* * *

**Okay there's my fourth chapter. I really would like reviews. I can't help but feel that there's some way to improve this. Also I have no real ideas for a long-term conflict, so suggestions are appreciated. **


	5. Troubles and Truth

**Disclaimer: I don't own Prototype or Adventure Time. Also, any ideas or suggestions will be appreciated. Please review. Also, the song Alex plays on the viola is the one that plays at the main menu screen of Bioshock 2. I just thought it seemed appropriate.**

* * *

Chapter 5

Finn's POV

Finn woke to the sound of Jake's viola, playing a slow, sad tune. It seemed familiar, but he couldn't place where he'd heard it. He opened his eyes, squinting against the bright morning light, and surveyed the room, only to find something startling.

Jake was still asleep.

"Hey man, wake up." He whispered.

Jake stirred in his sleep, mumbling about bacon pancakes. Finn got out of bed, and shook him awake. Jake climbed out of bed, an annoyed expression on his face. Then he seemed to notice the music.

"Who's playing my viola!?" He shouted. They raced downstairs, to find something unexpected.

There Alex stood, in the middle of the room, playing Jake's viola. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be lost in his playing, not listening to anything else. Why that was, Finn had no idea, but the music was beautiful, and as he listened, he realize something.

It was the same song that the record player had played when they first met Alex.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex didn't know the songs name. He only knew two things about it.

One, it had been one of Dana's favorite pieces, and two, it always reminded him of her. It was sad, and mournful. It's notes spoke of a dark tragic sadness, something lost. Alex didn't know why, but when he played or listened to music, he always found it was easier to think.

He'd woken up at around four A.M., or at least, that's what the clock said. The nightmares left him feeling tired as if he's never slept at all. It had been like this for over a thousand years. He explored the tree house a bit, and had found this viola. He'd never taken lessons, but then again, he'd consumed enough people that he could probably play almost any instrument some could give him.

As he played, he thought about Dana, about the vault, about these two adventurers he was being forced to live with. For a while, he'd debated whether or not to kill them, before deciding that he'd had enough enemies in the past. Maybe this time, he could actually have some friends. Friends that weren't mainly looking to simply prevent him from killing them.

Yeah, that did sound pretty good, although he hadn't exactly made an excellent first impression.

Then he heard someone shouting.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING! PUT DOWN MY VIOLA!"

He stopped and looked towards the sound. There the Dog, his name was Jake, right? Jake stood there, twice normal size, face red, and of course holding the remote. He gently set the musical instrument on a coffee table, then the dog pressed the button. Alex immediately fell to his knees, screaming like he was dying.

He felt no actual pain, but for now things would probably go more smoothly if he pretended that the probe was still inside him, even though he'd destroyed it.

The dog stretched his hand over to the table and grabbed the viola. Then he released the button, and Alex got to his feet again.

"Don't ever touch my viola again." Jake told him.

Alex sat at a table and frowned.

"So, what does this parole thing entail? Do we go around picking up litter, or do you have something else in mind." He asked.

Finn entered the room, "Let's see," he said, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket.

"Well, the fish people from the swamps sent a letter saying that the giant frog is back, there's a dragon roaming the southern grasslands, and the Ice King has kidnapped a few miscellaneous princesses from various kingdoms. So, in other words, the usual same old."

Alex leaned forward at the table.

"So, that's your usual day?" He said sarcastically "Well, I suppose I'll have to tag along. After all, you two have to keep an eye on me."

Jake frowned, "Oh yeah, that's right. Hey Finn, maybe we should just stay home."

Finn's face was determined, "No. These people need our help, and I will stop at nothing to help them."

Alex stood, "Well, when we get to the locations just tell me what you want me to do." he said, still being sarcastic, "I'll try not to be _too_ much of a burden."

* * *

A Few Hours Later

Finn's POV

Finn and Co. wandered through the swamp, trying to find the frog. Finn had no idea how to find it, it had found them last time, but Alex seemed to know which way he was going. He moved through the swamp with purpose, looking this way and that, always heading in roughly the same direction, though occasionally he would change course slightly.

Finn felt a strange feeling inside his stomach though. It felt as if waves of energy were periodically passing through his stomach. It was disconcerting, but it didn't give him headaches or anything so he ignored it.

Then he saw a dark shape in the distance. It was large, and dark green.

Alex stopped, "I assume that's the frog." he said.

"Looks like it." Fin replied, "So, I have a plan."

Alex turned to him, "Oh, do tell."

"Okay, Alex, you get its attention. Then Jake will boost me up so I can get a clear shot at its face."

Alex smirked "Oh, I'll distract it alright." He formed his claws.

"No! No claws, no blades, no dismemberment." Finn told him.

"Fine." Alex said. Then he disappeared into the foliage.

"Wait!" Finn shouted. He turned to Jake, giving him a quizzical look.

"Hey, if he doesn't come back, we can just hold the button, and follow the screams." Jake told him.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex approached the frog from behind, his hands shifting into his hammer-fist ability. They weren't sharp after all, and he had something besides dismemberment in mind. Therefore, they would have no real reason to "shock" him.

When he was about ten yards away he stopped, and thrust his hand into the ground. A wave of black and red spikes rose from the swamps mossy earth, heading right for the frog. The frog then apparently heard him, because it turned around just in time to get speared through the stomach. The spike retracting into the ground hen face planted it.

Alex followed up with one of his favorite finishing moves. He gathered the biomass in his body, and launched a large wave of sharp tentacles in a straight line. It impaled the frog, then he used it to drag it back to him.

Then he consumed it

A wave of memories and emotions passed through his mind. Becoming cursed, the anger, frustration, and sadness as it tried to cure itself, to no avail. Then fear, as a small unknown man killed it, quickly and brutally.

Alex snapped back to the present, to find Finn and Jake staring at him, horrified. Then Jake activated the remote.

After Alex was done fake collapsing, the questions started.

Alex ignored them mostly, but the gist of the message he understood. Apparently, he wasn't supposed to kill it. He was supposed to distract it longer enough for them to break the curse. Finally, he interjected.

"Maybe if you'd told me that beforehand, I wouldn't have killed it."

The two stopped to consider this, then Finn just started walking away.

"C'mon," he muttered sullenly, "let's go slay that dragon."

* * *

A Few More Hours Later

Finn's POV

Finn was getting frustrated. First, Alex had killed the giant frog, which was really just a guy who'd been cursed. Now this!

He and Jake had told Alex that he just had to kill the dragon, but he shouldn't do that weird thing with the tentacles, and the disappearing bodies, and the blood everywhere. The local duke wanted its head as a trophy. Alex did that well, except for one detail.

After jumping on the dragon's back and decapitating it, he simply leapt from it, allowing it to crash into the very village they were here to protect. Then the body had exploded, shooting out tendrils that grabbed random pieces of buildings, bits of rubble, and other debris, then slammed them into the dead dragon. Finn told himself that he didn't see a few people pulled into that mess, but he couldn't be sure.

Then Alex had justified it by stating that Finn had left what should be done with the rest of the body a bit vague. Finn was getting fed up with this guy.

Now here they were outside of the ice king's tower, trying to be as specific as possible in directing Alex, lest he find a loophole to exploit. They didn't like Ice King, but they didn't want him dead either. They had to make sure Alex didn't kill him.

"So," Alex said, "you want me to go in there, take his crown to disable his powers, and knock him out, right?"

"Right," Finn said, "and no killing." Then he got an idea.

"Actually, now that I think about it, unless we say otherwise, no killing at all from now on."

"Fine." Alex said.

Alex then ran straight up the side of the tower, and jumped inside the window.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex entered the room to find several women locked in a jail cell. He heard insane laughter coming from an adjacent room. He sneaked up to the cell and whispered to the women, who seemed to be glad to see someone besides the Ice King in the room.

"Hey, I'm going to open the cage, stand back."

They stood by the opposite wall and Alex grabbed the door, ripping it right off its hinges.

"Now hide. My," Alex paused, looking for the right word. "My companions will be here soon. I'm going to go take care of the Ice King."

Alex walked over to the door and opened it slowly. He saw the Ice King writing in a small book, and laughing as if was the greatest book ever. Alex shifted to his whip fist, and sent his hand shooting towards the Ice King.

Alex snatched the crown, and dashed forward, kneeing the Ice King in the stomach hard enough to knock him out, but cause no permanent damage. The old blue lunatic fell to the floor, and that's when Finn and Jake entered the room.

"Dude!" Finn shouted. He raced across the room, and checked the unconscious man's pulse. As Finn did this, Alex walked over to the window, and flung the crown into the icy tundra.

* * *

Finn's POV

Once Finn was sure that the Ice King wasn't going to die, he looked up to see Alex toss the crown out of the window. He thought that was a bit harsh, but he could see the reasoning behind it. Then Alex began to leave.

Jake, who also saw the crown being flung, scowled, and activated the controller again. Finn didn't think that was necessary, but Jake had the controller. Then, something frightening happened.

Alex, (whose back was turned) didn't fall.

Finn panicked and drew his sword. Alex apparently heard the noise and turned around.

"Oh, put that away." Alex said, "The probe's been gone all day. If I'd wanted to kill you, don't you think I'd have done it by now?"

Finn didn't know what to say, first Alex tries to kill them, twice. Then Alex gives them trouble all day by messing up all their missions. Now he was telling them that he could have killed them at any time. What was the deal here?

"You're probably wondering what the deal here is. Why I haven't killed you."

Finn nodded weakly, unsure of how to answer. Jake was just standing there, shivering.

"Well, to be honest," Alex began, "before I locked myself in the vault, I had many enemies."

* * *

A Bit Later, Back at The Tree House

Finn was sitting on the couch, a bit overwhelmed. Jake was sipping coffee nervously, he hadn't said a word.

Alex had just explained his story, about how he'd single-handedly battled an entire paramilitary organization, and won. About how he'd lost his sister in the Great War. Just now he was apologizing for trying to kill them, both times.

The sun went down just as he finished talking. Alex looked out the window.

"Well," he said "I think that we'll all feel better after we get a good night's sleep and have some time to think."

Finn couldn't help but feel that he should extend an olive branch. He said the first thing that came to mind.

"The doctor said Marceline should be good to leave the hospital tomorrow. Do you want to come with us to see her."

Alex looked pensive. Finn mentally kicked himself. Of course he wouldn't want to. Then Alex spoke.

"Sure." he said, "She's the girl who can turn invisible right. It's strange, how did she heal so fast?"

"Probably the perks of being a vampire." Finn said.

"Vampire eh?" Alex mused "I didn't think they existed. Then again, I shouldn't talk. Either way, I should apologize for that. Anyway, I'm going to sleep. Wake me in the morning."

Alex then walked over to a chair, sat down, and closed his eyes. Finn still didn't trust him, but they didn't have much choice. Finn motioned for Jake to follow him, and they booth went upstairs.

As Finn lay in bed, he couldn't help but feel that tomorrow would be even more harrowing than today.

He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

* * *

**Well, there is chapter 5, and yes, Alex did use a bio-bomb. I figured that after 1000 years he would have learned a few new tricks. Please R&R.**


	6. Rivalry and Rot

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prototype or Adventure Time. Also, a few things I'd like to point out.**

**1. Alex may not need to sleep, but that doesn't mean he can't choose to sleep if he wants.**

**2. Marceline may have some cool abilities, but I don't see Alex really gaining any significant benefit from them, and I'm not having Alex kill her, so stop asking, please.**

* * *

Chapter 6

Finn's POV

It was late in the evening. Finn, Jake, and Alex were all standing outside the hospital, waiting for Marceline to exit the hospital. PB was also there, although she made a point of staying at least ten feet from Alex. In addition, she was keeping one hand on the entrapment ray, which she'd brought with her. She wasn't happy.

"Why didn't you read the second part of the note?" she asked for the third time. "It specifically said not to let him out of your sight or he'd remove the probe."

"Well this huge wind blew the paper out of my hand." Finn replied, "Why did you put something that important on a second piece of paper anyway?"

Alex then cut them off, "The fact that your all still alive is proof enough that I'm not going to kill you, so just drop it okay."

Thankfully, that's when Marceline finally exited the building. She was wearing the same clothes she'd been wearing when she was checked in. Her axe was slung over her shoulder, and was smiling faintly when she came out. Then she saw Alex.

Her face took on an expression of pure rage, and she swooped towards him, axe raised. Alex caught the blade of the axe with one hand, and wrenched it away from her. Then he grabbed Marcy by the neck and held her at arm's length. He took a look at the axe, examining it.

"Hmmm, is this also a guitar?" he asked. "That's a bit strange, but creative I'll admit."

Marceline growled, her eyes turning into red slits. She bared her fangs and hissed.

"Put me down, and give it back. Now!"

"Fine." Alex said. "I was going to give it back anyway."

He set her on the ground and buried the axe in the pavement at her feet. She pulled it out then turned to Finn.

"Okay Finn, what's going on? Two days ago this guy was trying to kill us, now he's your friend."

"Yeah, sorry about the whole, trying to kill you thing." Alex said.

Marceline frowned, "Yeah... so anyway, Finn, explain, NOW."

Finn gave her a condensed version of the events of the previous day. About finding out the probe had been destroyed, and how Alex had explained his story to them. After he was done, Marceline looked less apprehensive, but still not entirely convinced.

"Alright, I'm going to go along with this." she told Finn, "I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, because I trust you Finn."

Then she turned to Alex. "You, I don't trust," she told him, "and if you hurt either of them, I'm going to hunt you down ad kill you, even if it kills me. Is that clear?"

Alex gave her a wry smile. "Crystal." he said.

Finn turned around to see PB standing right next to him.

"Finn," she whispered. "There's something I need you to see. Follow me."

Finn turned to the others. "Uh, I need to go real quick, wait for me at the fountain."

Jake gave him a thumbs up, then Finn turned and followed the princess.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex sat on the edge of the fountain, staring into the water. The vampire girl, Marceline, was standing next to the dog, giving him the evil eye. He could understand her apprehension, and he didn't blame her. Although, this whole silence was getting a bit awkward. He turned and looked her in the eye.

"You know, standing there and staring daggers at me isn't going to hurt me." he called over.

She got frustrated when he said that, the ten or so psychiatrists he'd consumed could tell that. She stormed over to him, glaring the entire way.

"Don't make me hurt you." She growled, "I don't want to break my promise to Finn so soon."

Alex smirked, "Even if you tried, you couldn't hurt me."

"Wanna bet?" she shot back.

"Sure," he replied, grinning like shark, "what did you have in mind?"

* * *

Finn's POV

PB led him along a dark hallway, they were heading deep underground beneath the castle. The hall was cold, lit by only a few wavering torches. Finally they stopped before a large iron door. Then the princess turned to him.

"Finn, what is behind this door needs to remain a secret." she told him "If what happens i this room is ever discovered, it could spell the end of the kingdom. I need you to pledge to never tell a soul what is inside this room. I need you to royal promise that you won't tell anyone, not Jake, not Marceline, and especially not Alex."

Finn knelt before her, closed his eyes, and placed one hand over his heart.

"Princess Bubblegum, I royal promise to never tell a living soul what lies behind this door, for as long as I shall live."

The princess nodded, and opened the door.

Inside was a laboratory, filled with glass containers, bubbling beakers, and cages with rats, birds, and other animals inside. They walked through the room, passing these and other scientific objects. Finally they stopped before a large table.

On it were various note, pencils, and syringes, there were two glass cages on it, each had a strange, otherworldly creature inside. There was also a glass container, about the size of a soda can, it had a small nozzle in the top where one could insert a syringe without opening the container. It was filled with a strange black liquid.

Also, unexpectedly, there was a single banana guard sitting in a chair beside the table.

"What's he doing in here?" Finn asked the princess.

She looked confused for a moment, then realized who he meant.

"Oh, that's Kyle," she said. "He volunteered to help me with my work, he's actually very smart."

"Hello Finn." Kyle said happily.

"Anyway," the princess continued, "this container hold a sample of Alex's biomass that I extracted while he was still in liquid form. Since he didn't say anything, I assume that he's unaware that I took it. Anyway, I've used it for several experiments, and I've gotten some fascinating results.

"After I combined it with a few various DNA samples, I've discovered that when place in proximity to foreign cells, it approaches it and assimilates with it, the original cell taking on any superior traits and discarding any that it deems inferior. After a while, I began testing it on several animal subjects."

She pointed to one of the cages. Inside, a large, hairless, black and red rat-like creature slept. the cage was filled with small bones, and the floor of it was caked with a dark red substance.

"First, I tested it in three rats. They all lost their hair, then changed color, before doubling in size. Then I put the three rats in a cage with another five rats. They immediately began to devour the smaller rats, growing in size each time they did so. Once all the normal rats were gone, the largest of the three subjects ate the other two. Now it has gone into a coma-like state, only awakening when more living tissue in added to the cage."

Then she pointed to the second cage, where an emaciated hawk-like creature perched on a metal bar. It also appeared to be asleep.

"I then tested a common bird, and found surprising results. Unlike the rat, which grew in size and strength, the bird became a larger, skeletal version of itself. It grew, not in strength, but in speed. I've put it through a few tests, and it seems to have almost tripled in speed.

"The varying results among the subjects leads me to believe that each unique species the cells combine with form a different creature. However, a few things stayed constant so far. First, the subjects always show a marked increase in aggression. Second, all subjects seem to lose any of their hair, feathers, or other such traits soon after injection. Third, all have shown a significant size increase. Finally, they all seem to enter a brief, coma-like state upon injection, presumably to give the cells time to assimilate, although it never seems to last longer than about a minute."

Most of what she said made little to no sense to Finn, but he did understand enough bits and pieces to know that she was basically experimenting with Alex's blood, or his equivalent of it, and that it made whatever it was added to stronger, and more aggressive.

He also knew that this was wrong.

"Princess, doesn't this all seem a bit, crazy." he asked.

"Finn, trust me," she said, "I know what I'm doing. Just think of the benefits this can cause if I can remove the negative side effects. I was hoping that you could help me with my studies. I need someone to go out and collect certain chemical ingredients for work."

Finn began to walk towards the door.

"Sorry," he said, "but this just doesn't sit right with me. I won't tell anyone about this, but I don't really want a part of this. If you want those ingredients, you'll have to get them yourself."

Finn exited the room, and didn't look back.

* * *

Kyle's POV

Kyle sat in his chair watching the exchange between Finn and The Princess. He sat there quietly watching the two talk. He didn't really care whether or not Finn helped. He was just here to help protect the kingdom.

After Finn left, The Princess turned to him.

"It's a shame Finn didn't want to help. Oh, well. Let's start the procedure."

Kyle felt a bit apprehensive, he began to have second thoughts.

"Princess," he began, "your sure this is safe."

"Yes." she told him, picking up a syringe.

"And your sure this will make it so that I care protect the kingdom, from any danger." he asked

"Of course." she replied, drawing a sample of the Alex's cells from the container.

She walked over to him, setting the syringe on the table. She tightened the straps on his wrists, feet, and torso, making sure they were all secured. She stuck a few sensors to him to monitor his vital signs.

Then she picked up the syringe, and injected him with the black substance.

Almost instantly, he felt pain. It felt like he'd been injected with liquid fire. His head throbbed and his vision blurred. He felt like he was going to die.

"Subject isn't responding well," The Princess said into her tape recorder, "his heart rate is erratic, and brain activity is reaching dangerous levels."

Then he began to change.

His skin began to brown, then it turned black. He could feel his body become thinner, emaciated. His fingers began to lengthen, ending in pointed, claw-like talons. Then his vision began to darken.

"Subjects vital signs are dropping, he is going into cardiac arrest! Can't risk sedatives, they may make things worse."

Kyle's vision went dark. He couldn't see anything. All he could hear was a long steady _BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP_ from the heart monitor. Then he heard The Princess speak.

"(_Sigh,_)Subject's heart has stopped. He appears to be dead. Going to have to keep working with these cells. I'll also have to get another one of the banana guards as a test subject. Or I could just clone Kyle. Actually, that might be the better option."

These were the last words Kyle heard, then he died.

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn approach the fountain, to be greeted by what was, if not the worst case scenario, then a definite runner-up.

Marceline was in her giant bat form, laying on the ground. Alex sat across from her, sitting in front of a public bench, using it as a table.

They were arm wrestling.

The even more disturbing part of this scene was the fact that, despite the fact that Marceline was now five-times Alex's size, in addition to her super strength, it was a tie. Not a tie as in they were evenly matched, a tie as in Marceline was struggling to move her hand, as Alex sat there with a bored expression on his face. He was obviously prolonging this on purpose.

Finn walked up to Jake, who was watching the two with a look of both fear and amazement.

"I've never seen Marceline outmatched like this before." he told Finn when he got close, "I don't know whether to be scared, or impressed."

"How long have they been doing this?" Finn asked.

"I don't know," Jake replied, "about half an hour. Every so often Alex will mess with her, letting he think she was going to win or lose, but he's clearly winning.

"So, what did The Princess have to say? Jake asked

"Can't tell," Finn replied, "royal promise."

"Oh, then it must have been important. Just tell me it won't end in more zombies." Jake said

"I don't think it will." Finn told him.

Finn approached the two arm wrestlers. Marceline shot him a brief glance, then went back to giving Alex the kung fu death stare. Alex, however, turned his head and looked Finn right in the eyes. His arm didn't move an inch.

"Hey guys," Finn said, "It's getting early. We need to leave before dawn."

"Not now Finn, I've almost got this guy beat." Marceline said, even her voice making it obvious that she didn't.

Alex nodded, then turned back to Marceline. He then, with one swift movement, swung her arm down hard enough smash the bench and crack the pavement. He then started to leave.

Marceline shifted back to her normal form. She looked to be on the verge of a meltdown.

"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT!" she screamed after him.

Alex looked back.

"If you want a rematch, you know where to find me." he stated calmly.

Marceline rubbed her shoulder, and floated away. She clearly didn't want to talk.

Finn turned, and walked after Alex.

* * *

The Next Night

Kyle's POV

He woke up in a coffin. It was pitch black he knew, yet he could tell where everything was. He reached out and placed his hand to the lid of the box. To his surprise, it aged and crumble at his touch. A wave of dirt and soil cascaded down upon him.

He quickly dug his way out of the freshly turned soil. He stood in the middle of a cemetery, and viewed his grave.

It only said: Unknown.

He felt a rage boil inside him. The Princess said the procedure was safe, that he could use the power it would give him to defend the kingdom. Yet he ended up like this! Emaciated, with black, rotten skin and long sharp claw for fingers.

He grabbed the edge of his tombstone, meaning to rip it out of the ground. Yet amazingly, the stone cracked and turned to dust when he touched it. He smiled and walked from his grave.

Where his feet fell, grass turned black and died. What his hands touched aged and crumbled.

Kyle was gone.

There was only,

Rot

* * *

**Well, let me know what you think. Let me know your thought on me OC villain Rot. and most of all**

**R&R.**


	7. Music and Murder

**Disclaimer: I don't own Prototype or Adventure Time. Also, I have recently been trying to find a good cover image for this story, but I can't find any. If someone could help me find one, or even send me a good image for this story, I'd really appreciate it.**

* * *

Chapter 7

Alex surveyed his room. Originally it had been an old storage room, but with Finn and Jake's permission he'd cleaned it out and started spending nights here. He'd stopped sleeping, he didn't really need to anyway, and he had less flashbacks while awake. He sat on an old chair and looked out the window.

Over the past week, he'd helped Finn and Jake with some of their adventuring. They were still scared of him, and he'd admit that spending a thousand years alone with only the memories in his head hadn't done wonders for his sanity, but they seemed to be getting used to him.

About two days ago, Alex went back to the vault with Finn and Jake and picked up a few things. Among them were a few instruments he'd learned to play during isolation, as well as some old books and pictures. He'd also brought back a picture of Dana.

It was faded a bit, but still recognizable. He'd found the frame inside the vault, and the picture had survived the bombs because he'd kept it in his jacket, which, being part of him, hadn't been destroyed in the explosion.

Though they had been friendly to him recently, Alex still knew that technically he was expected to stay with them. He didn't have a problem with it though. After being alone for so long, it was nice to have some company.

Then Finn entered the room.

"Hey, we're going to Marcy's house for a jam session. Want to join us?"

Alex was silent for a moment, thinking it over. Finally he spoke.

"Well, I suppose I have to come with you, so I may as well."

Alex knew that Finn hadn't meant it like that, but Alex liked to keep people a bit intimidated, and confused. It made them easier to predict. He stood and walked over to the closet where he kept his instruments.

The vault had an entire room devoted to instruments, and he'd brought about a dozen of them back with him. He looked over his selection, before choosing an old acoustic guitar. It had a deep, twanging sound. It was the kind of instrument you'd expect a country singer to play. It was one of the few instruments that hadn't completely rotted over the years, and it worked just fine once he'd replaced the strings.

He left the room, following Finn.

* * *

Rot's POV

Rot sat in the shadow of an old tree. The tree had no leaves left on it, and it was covered in patches of decaying wood. An hour ago it had been perfectly healthy.

He watched a few travelers pass him by, none gave him a second glance. He knew that he looked like a walking corpse, so he'd stolen a cloak a few days ago, it hadn't rotted away completely, though it now looks like it had been dragged through the mud and attacked by wolves at some point. So now he looked more like a sickly beggar than the living dead.

Then he saw what he was waiting for. A lone traveler walked down the road, a light purple man, and he looked to be a man of means. Rot stood and when the man passed him, he struck.

He darted forward, grabbing the man by the neck. Then, just as quickly, he ran to the other side of the road, where some dead bushes were. They too had been alive an hour ago. He held his prey on the ground, and watched his newfound powers go to work.

The skin around where he held the man turned yellow, then red, and finally a hideous shade of purple. He struggled briefly, then began to cough. A putrid, dark green slime came out of his mouth, and slowly, the man grew still. When Rot let go of him, the area where he'd touched the man had turned a sickly green color.

Rot then looted the man's body. He knew that if he wanted his revenge, he'd need money. Thus he'd been reduce to highway robbery, and he found that he was uncannily effective at it. Looking through the man's pockets, he found a coin pouch, which rotted away as soon as he touched it. It must have been made of plant matter. He'd found that objects made from plant matter decayed completely away, except wood, though that began to rot quickly too.

If things were made of animal though, he could touch it. It would turn black and rotten, but he could still use them.

Inside the man's coin pouch there was about two-dozen coins, though they rusted a bit when he touched them. Going through the man's pockets, he also found a pair of leather gloves, which gave him an idea.

He picked the man's corpse up, and tossed it in a pit he had dug. About five other bodies lay in it already.

He put on his new gloves, raised the hood of his cloak, and walked back down the road.

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn knocked on the door of Marceline's house, his new flute, which he'd found in the vault, in his hand. After a few minutes, she answered the door.

"Hey Finn," she greeted him, "here to jam?"

"You know it." Finn replied, smiling.

She walked back inside, and Finn and Jake followed. Marceline gave them both a friendly smile, then she saw Alex.

Her smile and friendliness disappeared instantly. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked at Finn accusingly.

"What's _HE _doing here." she demanded.

"Well," Finn began, instantly nervous. Jake had shrunken down to half his normal size, and was shaking form fear. They were instantly reminded that Marcy could be dangerous when angry.

Surprisingly, Alex bailed them out.

"I have to stay with them until my period of parole runs out. Since I had to come, I figured I could try to join in."

Marceline's anger was instantly redirected towards Alex.

"And just what made you think I wanted you to join in?" she demanded.

"Can you really stop me if I do want to play?" he retorted.

Marceline, who obviously knew she couldn't, simply screamed in his face.

"GET OUT!"

Alex shrugged and left, without a word.

Marceline was breathing heavily, clearly frustrated. She glared at the door he'd left through for a few seconds, then floated just above her couch.

Finn sat next to her on the "Sofa of Doom" while Jake sat on her other side.

"Hey Marcy," Jake said "are you okay? You seem bothered."

She was silent for a moment, thinking. When she spoke again, she seemed calmer.

"It's just, he knocked me out, almost killed me. I don't know how to deal with that. I've never met someone who was that much stronger than me and not a supernatural being. He could have killed us all, he could storm in here and kill us right now, but he hasn't. He didn't even have to leave, he knew I couldn't make him leave. Yet I'm supposed to trust him? What kind of logic is that? How can I trust someone, no, something that could, and probably would, kill me at the drop of a hat."

Finn and Jake looked each other in the eyes and had a short silent conversation.

"Marceline," Finn said "We both trust you. But you could also probably kill us if you wanted to, and it would take you only seconds. We still trust you though, and your one of my best friends."

Marceline smiled a bit.

"Thanks Finn, I think."

Then they heard a soft tune from outside. Finn and Jake got up off the couch and walked over to the door, while Marceline floated with them. They stopped at the door and listened.

Form outside Alex could be heard playing the guitar, and surprisingly well. The sound was solemn, but not depressing like when he'd played Jake's viola. He was singing quietly, but they couldn't make out the words from inside the house. Marcy stopped, her face conflicted, then she opened the door.

They stood in the doorway and listened to the last few verses of Alex's song.

_The whirlwind is in the thorn trees_

_It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks_

_In measured hundred weight and penny pound_

_When the man come around._

Alex stopped playing his guitar, and muttered a few words.

"And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts,

and I looked and beheld, a pale horse,

and the name that sat upon him, was Death,

and Hell, followed with him."

He set his guitar beside him and stared out the mouth of the cave into the night sky. Marceline's expression was a mixture of sad, and guilty. She stepped onto the porch and sat down next to Alex. He gave no indication that he'd noticed her.

"Hey Alex," Marceline began, "If you want to come in and jam with us,"

Alex stood and walked inside. Just before entering he looked back at Marcy.

"Thanks."

* * *

Rot's POV

The inn's sign had long been illegible. One could only put an arrow through it so many time before it became impossible to read. The building's name, however was not important. It was a mile out of town, and thus, the perfect place to conduct business deals that would bring a certain amount of scrutiny in the city.

Rot walked into its dimly lit main room. It was hard to tell what there were more of, drunk criminals, or criminals who were merely acting drunk. He made his way to a table in the back corner, and called to the waitress.

"What'll it be?" she asked listlessly.

"Water." Rot replied. Water was the only thing he could stomach. When he tried to eat something else, he always got sick. when he did get hungry, he found that rotting things help to banish the feeling.

Rot pondered his plan, wondering just how crazy it could be. He wanted revenge, he wanted to tear down Princess Bubblegum's "precious kingdom" and see her face as the rubble burned. He'd served loyally for years. When his parents died, he was loyal. When his wife left him, he was loyal, and his conviction had never faltered.

He served in the city guard for fifteen years, and when the Princess though he was dead, she simply planned to clone him and pretend nothing had ever happened. He would prove to her that he wasn't simply a failed experiment to be buried and forgotten. He would destroy her, and he knew just how he could do it.

The waitress came back with his water. He picked it up, thankful for his new gloves, and placed a gold coin on the table. The waitress reached for it, but it was snatched away before she could pick it up.

The one who'd taken it was a giant man, twice Rot's size, but Rot spoke up anyway.

"Excuse me sir," he said in a quiet, menacing voice, "I believe that belongs to the lady."

The man, clearly drunk, glared down at him.

"Yeah, well whatsh a shrimp like you going ta do ta shtop me?" he slurred, getting into Rot's face.

Rot said nothing. He just quietly slipped his glove off and gave the drunk a death glare.

The drunk didn't seem to take the hint.

"Shee boysh," he called back to the other people at his table, "he'sh notshing but a cowardly little Ru-hak!"

Rot cut-off the last few words of the man's sentence, his clawed hand darting out to sever the man's windpipe. The wound immediately became infected, and the man died clutching his throat in agony.

Rot slipped his glove back on and knelt to pick up the coin. He offered it the waitress, who looked at him with shock and terror. Hesitantly, she took the coin, and went back to the kitchen's.

Rot looked around the room. Every single patron was giving him looks, from hate, to fear, to simple annoyance for distracting them from their drinks. Rot assessed the situation. He'd have to put his plan into motion now.

He searched the newly deceased corpse and found the man's coin pouch. Thankfully it had enough money in it that, combined with what he already had, should be enough for his plan. he filled one of the pouches with money then stood on a table.

"Scoundrels, Villains, and assorted criminal scum," he shouted, drawing everyone's gaze, "I would like to make an offer to anyone who is willing."

He dumped the contents of the money bag onto the table, where the coins spilled off and to the floor. Greed flashed in the eyes of every man in the room.

"These coins are but a taste of the riches I can offer you! Join with me and I shall lead you to the gates of the Candy kingdom. I shall open a pathway into the heart of the city, and lead you unto the greatest plunder your eyes could ever behold."

His speech wasn't the greatest, but the greed in men's hearts can be a powerful lure. One man came forward, then another, then two more. Within an hour, he had an army. It seems men are easily drawn to plunder.

Step one was complete.

* * *

Elsewhere

Alex's POV

Alex was walking back to the tree house with Finn and Jake. The sun was just beginning to rise, and they were moving at an easy pace.

Their music session had started a bit awkward, but once Marceline had gotten used to him they'd played well together. They'd played songs each of them knew, or just made stuff up. It'd felt, nice. Alex couldn't remember the last time he'd had friends. Well, except for... No, don't start thinking about that again.

"Hey Alex," Finn called, "I didn't know you could play like that."

Alex smirked, "They could write a book about the things most people don't know about me."

Finn gave him a friendly smile, "It's nice to see you getting along with Marcy, she seemed impressed."

Alex shrugged silently and they continued on their way.

* * *

At The Tree House

The three of them were sitting around, not really doing much, until the phone rang. Finn rushed to get it.

"Yes," he said, "Oh, hi PB... no... what! really! How did that happen? We'll be right over."

Finn hung up.

"Who was that?" Jake asked.

"PB needs our help again." He answered.

"What, does she need another soul-stone today?" Jake joked.

"No," Finn stated, "This is serious."

* * *

**And with that cliffhanger, I bid you adieu. **

**R&R**


	8. Secrets and Sphinxes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prototype or Adventure Time.**

**I noticed I haven't gotten any reviews in a while. Is my story's quality dropping? Should I rethink the direction this story is going? Am I just being a pessimist? I can't know what you think of my story unless you review. Oh, well. Also, I would like to know what the fans think of Rot, I'm really trying to make a good villain and I want to hear some opinions.**

* * *

Chapter 8

Alex's POV

Alex, along with Finn and Jake were standing in the main hall of the candy palace. Alex surveyed the room, impressed. The last time he'd been here was about ten days ago, when he'd fought Finn and Jake for the first time. Since then, the royal builders had patched the hole in the roof, installed a new chandelier, and swept up the bits of molten rock. He'd never seen Blackwatch clean that fast.

The Princess entered the room from a side door. Through it Alex could see a staircase going down into the darkness. She walked up to them, her face nervous. Alex noticed that she refused to look at him, and he could almost smell her fear. Alex could tell she was hiding something, and it had something to do with him.

"I'm glad you came." she said to them. "I have a very serious problem, and I need you to help."

"What's wrong PB?" Finn asked.

"Well," she began, "remember when my candy sphinx, Goliad, went mad with power and tried to tae over the kingdom?"

Alex didn't know what she was talking about, but Finn and Jake looked grim. Clearly, this sphinx she was talking about was bad news.

"Did she defeat Stormo?" Finn asked.

"No." the Princess answered

"Did they two sphinxes die?" Jake asked

"I wish." She replied

"So what happened?" Finn asked.

"I," she began, then paused and sighed. After collecting her thoughts for a minute, she continued.

"I made another sphinx."

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" Finn and Jake screamed.

"What were you thinking?" Jake demanded. "Just what we need, a third psychic beast on the loose."

Alex didn't like the sound of that. He remembered back in New York when Elizabeth Greene would sometimes invade his mind. The sheer force of the infected his mind was one of the few things that could cause him lasting pain, and he wasn't keen to feel that again.

"I thought I could teach this one to be a better leader." the Princess said, obviously trying to think of a decent excuse for a stupid mistake. "I didn't use my own DNA, so I thought that would make him easier to control."

"Did you use my DNA again?" Finn asked.

"No." she replied.

"But then-"

"Three hours ago, he ran away," she continued, cutting Finn off. "I turn my back for five minutes and when I look again he's just, gone. He hasn't been seen, but a few people have gone missing around the castle, and he seems to be heading for the roof. I don't know what he wants up there, but whatever his motives are, we need to find him and bring him back."

"Okay." Finn answered, but he sounded uncertain. He turned to Jake and Alex.

"Jake, you and I will check the inside of the castle. Alex, go to the roof and look around. If he isn't outside, keep watch until he comes out."

The Princess spoke up.

"I'll go to my lab and see if I can find a way to stop him," she told them. Then she pulled three walkie-talkies out of a pocket on her dress (which Alex found a bit unexpected). "If any of you see the sphinx, call the other's with these. I'll have my own, so let me know if you see him."

They took the walkie-talkies and left, Finn and Jake heading for the stairs, and Alex heading outside. When he got out there he jumped towards the castle wall and started to run up towards the roof.

* * *

Rot's POV

Rot sat on a tree covered hill north of the candy kingdom. It was tall, and offered a commanding view of the town. His army, and he used the term loosely, was camped in the forest around his main camp. He wasn't willing to bet much on their courage, or fighting ability, but he didn't need them for that. In fact, he neither needed, or planned to win this fight. Which was good, the less time he had to spend with these mercenaries, the better.

"Sir." a deep voice said behind him.

Rot turned around. The one speaking was a muscular blue man by the name of Smith, though he doubted that was his real name. He was the leader of one of the few decent fighting group he'd managed to recruit. Smith had come to him soon after he'd begun recruiting, said he'd heard about a man who'd promised a big payoff to whoever joined him. Rot didn't trust him completely, but he'd heard of this guy when he was a guard, and Smith was known for remaining loyal to whoever paid for his "services", at least until he got a better offer.

"Smith." Rot acknowledged, not turning around.

"Sir," Smith reported, "our scouts have reported a disturbance within the city."

Rot pondered that for a moment. If something within the city was causing trouble, weakening their defenses, it could be a good thing. Then again, if the city watch was put on high alert, that could make his plan all the more difficult to execute.

"Have the scouts keep an eye on the city." Rot ordered. "If it looks like thing are getting to chaotic, send word to me. If they beef up security, we may have to rethink our strategy.

* * *

Finn's POV

The candy palace had 20 floors. Finn and Jake had split up, Jake taking the bottom ten floors, Finn taking the top ten. Finn was patrolling the hallways of the 15th floor, walking down the hallway with his sword drawn. In the past week he'd gotten used to the new carbonized candy sword. He would always feel guilty about losing his dad's sword, but he could manage.

He wondered whose DNA PB had used to create this new candy sphinx. She said she didn't use her own DNA, and he was pretty sure she didn't have his DNA, so whose could-

Finn froze.

He pulled out his walkie-talkie and called Jake. As he ran for the stairs, he shouted a warning into the device.

"Jake! Come in!"

"What?" Jake responded.

"I know whose DNA Princess Bubblegum used to create the sphinx! Head to the roof, we NEED to find Alex."

"Got it man."

Then Finn shifted the frequency to PB.

"Princess, what were you thinking?"

"Finn, what do you mean?" she asked, confusion clear in her voice.

"I know whose DNA you used to create the sphinx. What were you thinking? Now you've put all of Ooo in danger!"

"Finn, please understand, I-"

"NO! I'm putting an end to this NOW! Alex, Jake, and I are going to put an end to the sphinx, and then you are going to tell them the truth, or I will, royal promise or not."

Finn switched over to Alex's frequency, then gave him a call.

"Alex, Jake and I are on the way to you. We know whose DNA the Princess used in the sphinx. Do you see it."

"Yeah." Alex whispered over the radio "He's by the other two sphinxes. I'm moving in." Then there was only static.

"Alex? ALEX!"

* * *

Fifteen Minutes Ago

Alex's POV

Alex was standing on top of the roof, searching for anything that looked like a sphinx. He had no idea what exactly it would look like, but he should notice it when he saw it.

Then, while searching near the inner wall, he saw something. Two large creatures were standing on top of a nearby tower, staring intently at each other. One was white, with golden blonde hair and a bird-like face. The other was cat-like, with pink fur and a baby face. they both had third eyes coming out of their tails.

These must be the candy sphinxes he'd heard about. So, one was made with the Princess' DNA, probably the pink one, and the other was made from Finn's, likely the one with blond hair. Now at least he had a vague idea of what to look for.

Then his work was made much simpler.

A third sphinx, fast as lightning, leapt onto the tower. It had black fur, with streaks of red mixed in. It's body was cat-like, but unlike the others it had bird wings. It's tail was long and sinuous, and edged with blades. It had the face of a lion, with long, sharp teeth. It was obviously built to hunt and kill.

It sat between the other two sphinxes, a third eye coming out of its head. It closed its eyes, and didn't move.

Alex's radio crackled to life.

"Alex," Finn's voice said "Jake and I are on the way to you. We know whose DNA the Princess used in the sphinx. Do you see it."

"Yeah." Alex whispered over the radio "He's by the other two sphinxes. I'm moving in." Then he tossed the walkie-talkie off the roof.

Alex move in to get a closer look at the sphinxes. He jumped onto the roof of the tower, and three powerful entities invaded his mind. His world darkened, and his vision blurred

"Ah," a deep, guttural voice said, echoing through his mind. "The One I am From is here."

Alex didn't exactly _hear _the voice, the thought simply appeared in his mind, and his consciousness simply registered it as being deep and guttural.

"Sorry new brother, I am busy." a second, child-like voice said, speaking in a logical tone. "perhaps if you'd help me-"

"NO!" a third voice thundered. It was wild, yet defiant. "Help ME brother. We shall defeat this tyrant and save this kingdom together."

This third voice reminded him of the way Finn talked sometimes, when he REALLY believed in something.

The first voice, the deep one answered.

"I'm afraid that I'm not here to help either of you, brother and sister." it said in a darkly amused tone "Quite the dilemma you find yourselves stuck in. You cannot hope to defeat each other, yet if one of you should break your concentration long enough to properly converse with someone (or to control them), the other would surely kill you. So you sit, locked in this fierce duel of the minds for all eternity. It's kind of pathetic actually."

"Who are you?" Alex though. He was surprised when three answers swept through his mind.

"I am Goliad" the child-like voice stated.

"I am Stormo" said the defiant voice.

"I am known simply as The Subject," said the guttural voice. "and I am here to consume my brother and sister."

Alex could sense anxiety from the other two sphinxes. Clearly, they didn't like the sound of that.

"I do not do this out of any wish for personal gain. I feel a great army massing in the west, One I am From, and I sense that their leader plans great harm upon the Creator, and her experiments, which would include me. I am here to absorb these two's powers and use it to escape. Then I leave, and live my life alone."

Then Alex snapped back to reality. The Subject leapt for Goliad, his claws tearing into her front, while his tail shot back and slit Stormo's throat. Then, several black tendrils shot out and consumed the two creatures.

"Ah," The Subject stated out loud. "and now, One I am From, I take my leave."

The sphinx leapt over Alex's head, but Alex grabbed it, and slammed it to the roof. It fought against him, and they wrestled until Alex pinned it to the roof.

"What army is coming?" Alex demanded, "What experiments are you talking about?"

Then, the sphinx's tail wrapped around his leg and hoisted him into the air. It held him upside down and stared directly into his eyes.

"Sorry, One I am From. I'm afraid I cannot answer that. Now I will have to disable you."

Alex felt a tearing sensation rip through his mind as his toughts and memories were opened up and examined. Alex knew that he couldn't stop the sphinx, but he had one idea.

"You want to see my mind, then let me show it to you!" he shouted, "ALL OF IT!"

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn Kicked down the door to the roof, leaping through the doorway with his sword drawn. He quickly dashed over to the sphinx's tower. When he got there, Alex hung upside down by his leg, which the sphinx held with its tail. Finn ran into battle shouting a war cry. Then, he collapsed.

Thousands of images flashed through his mind. One-thousand lives, one-thousand deaths. One-thousand years of pain, guilt, and suffering, all mixed with an underlying sense of overwhelming, mind numbing, soul crushing boredom. All this, an eternity of suffering, compressed within a second, and played back, over and over and over. And above all of this suffering was a horrible guilt, a feeling of lose, that was accompanied by a single face. Then, a loud snap resounded through his mind, Finn had never heard it before, but he knew what it was.

It was the sound of a mind breaking.

Finn opened his eyes. Alex was standing over the fallen sphinx. He'd pinned it to the ground with his left arm, his right had become a blade. The sphinx had a dull, listless look in its eyes.

"My mind," in said pathetically, "my power. It is gone." It looked Alex in the eye.

"I cannot tell you of what I have seen, for I can no longer summon the mental power to recall it. Kill me, and take my memories, One I am From. May they serve you well."

Alex stared at the broken creature piteously, then he raised his blade high. It hung there like the axe of an executioner. Then the blade fell.

* * *

Alex's POV

Images flashed before his eyes, visions of the past. Eyes opening, a classroom, tubes in his skin, they were draining a black fluid from his body. He sensed an army on the horizon, hundreds of criminals, all united by a dark man, with powers of decay, whose mind was once pure, but now corrupted by thoughts of vengeance. He felt fear, then sensed two powerful energies battling, their fight a hopeless stalemate. He knew that with their power, he could escape the oncoming destruction. He saw the beings, his own siblings, and felt their bones crunch under his blow, felt their energy flow through him. Then he felt mind numbing pain in his head, and the power was gone. He lay on the ground, helpless, and saw a blade swinging for his face. Pain flared through him, then he was gone.

As the visions faded, Alex knew whose DNA the Princess used to create the sphinx. He felt anger flare through him, and he walked past Finn, who was picking himself up off the floor.

He had a Princess to talk to.

* * *

PB's POV

She was pacing her lab, worrying. Why had the sphinx run? What could have caused this? Then a new thought emerged.

What if Alex found out?

Finn had been smart enough to figure it out, so it wasn't a long shot to think that-

The door suddenly slammed open, and Alex stormed in. He grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the wall.

"WHERE IS IT?" he screamed, "WHERE IS THE LAB, AND WHERE ARE THE CELLS YOU TOOK?"

She was suffocating, her breath came short. He was crushing her throat. But she managed to choke out a few words.

"Downstairs... in the... dungeon."

Alex stormed out of the room, still holding her by the throat, but no longer choking her. He walked past Finn and Jake, who seemed to startled to do anything but follow. He started down a staircase, and when he reached the bottom, he walked through the halls until he was in front of a door covered in KEEP OUT signs.

"Is this it?" he demanded.

She nodded weakly, and Alex released her. She fell to her knees and rubbed her throat, watching with contempt as Alex kicked down the door and marched into her secret lab. He walked over to the table where half a container of cells lay, along with the cages containing to two test subjects. He opened the cages and consumed the animals inside, then he pulled off one of the metal caps on the container, and stuck his hand in. The liquid inside was absorbed into his skin, and he looked back at her.

"Is there more?" he demanded.

She said nothing.

"IS THERE MORE?"

Finally she answered.

"No."

Alex glared at her, then walked out of the room.

"If I find out your lying, I'll kill you." He stated as he passed her.

Then he left. Finn and Jake followed without a word, but before turning the corner and disappearing from sight, Finn gave her a look of both sadness, and anger.

She Picked herself up, dusted herself off, and walked through the shattered doors of her lab. She made her way through the wreck Alex had made, and stopped before a metal cabinet. She opened it, pushed back the secret door, and entered the hidden room.

Inside, shelves of refrigerated cells, extracted from the sphinx's body, lined the walls.

She had enough cells to experiment for years.

* * *

Rot's POV

"Sir." Smith said.

"Yes Smith?" Rot replied.

"The threat in the city appears to have been taken care of, but they also have doubled the watch. It may be advisable to wait before attacking."

Rot sighed. He didn't have much money, and this meant he'd have to pay the mercenaries he'd hired for a few more days. He couldn't afford to wait too long, but he couldn't afford to risk failure either.

"Tell the scouts to keep watch over the city. We'll wait until they lower their guard, then attack."

Smith nodded.

"Understood Sir."

* * *

That Night

Finn's POV

Finn lay in his bed, thinking about the stuff he'd seen today. He didn't have to be a genius to know that he'd just seen inside Alex's mind. If the stuff in there had been enough to shatter the mind of a candy sphinx, he knew Alex's mind must be strong. He had no doubt that if he'd been in there longer, he'd have suffered the same fate.

"Hey Finn." Jake called from his bed. "You've been really quite since we got back. You okay?"

"Yeah Jake," he lied, "just tired is all."

"Okay Finn, good night." and Jake turned over, snoring almost immediately.

Finn closed his eyes.

He saw a blade descend towards his face.

* * *

**There we have it. Chapter 8. I think I'm getting better at this length thing. Let me know what you think. R&R**


	9. Games and Reality

**Disclaimer: I do not own Adventure Time or Prototype. Also, thanks for all the people who have reviewed my work. It feels good to know that people like my story. If anyone wants to know EXACTLY how the Card Wars game went, please let me know. I might write something with that, but ONLY if someone asks.**

* * *

Chapter 9

Finn's POV

Finn slowly opened his eyes. The sun shone through the open window, and Finn knew he'd slept in. Ironic, seeing as how he felt more tired than when he fell asleep. He slowly climbed out of bed, and wet downstairs.

It had been three days since Alex had killed the sphinx and taken back his cells. Three days since Finn had seen the horror that was Alex's memories. For three days the nightmares had tormented him with visions of dying, over and over, all while an image of a young woman flashed before him, and a voice whispered, _YOUR FAULT, YOUR FAULT._ And for three days, Finn had not had a full night's sleep.

He slid down the ladder leading to the living room. Inside, Jake was playing a video game with Alex. Jake had a plate of his signature bacon pancakes, while Alex nibbled a bit of toast. Now that Finn thought about it, he never recalled seeing Alex eat before. Except for when he "Consumed" things, or at least that's what Alex called it. The very thought of that sent shivers down Finn's spine. Finn got himself a bowl of cereal and sat next to Alex and Jake, watching them play.

They were playing some sort of fighting game. Alex was in control of a pixellated character that looked disturbingly like himself, while Jake controlled a man in a blue shirt and jeans, who appeared to be throwing lightning and swinging a two-pronged fork, which also crackled with lightning. BMO must have made this game personally.

Their sprites dodged each other for a while, Jake hurling bolts of lightning at Alex, when Alex's sprite jumped over Jake's head and brought down a large blade strike. Jake's character wobbled a bit, and the screen flashed the words "FINISH HIM!" Alex pressed a few buttons and his character slashed Jake's a few times, then decapitated it. It held up the sprite's severed head for the players to see.

"FATAILTY"

"VICTORY FOR PLAYER 1"

Jake groaned and dropped his controller, storming out of the room. Alex glanced at Finn.

"You're up late. That's the third time this week."

Finn picked up Jake's fallen controller and chose the option "SELECT NEW CHARACTER"

"I guess I just haven't been sleeping well." he told Alex, selecting a dark-haired man with two guns and black snakes coming out of his back.

"Finn," Alex began, "I can tell something's bothering you. Since consuming that sphinx I can read people's minds you know."

Finn shuddered, remembering when that happened. He fixed Alex with a questioning look.

"Yeah, Well then what number am I thinking of?" he challenged, picturing the number five in his head.

Alex smirked, "Okay you got me," he said, "I don't really get detailed information, the sphinx's mind was almost gone when I consumed it. But I CAN sense feelings, emotions. I can also tell when someone's lying to me. Like the Princess, I know she has more cells. I also know that they weren't taken from me. But I'm not going to kill her, I just told her I would so she doesn't do something stupid with them."

Finn didn't really understand that, but he decided that maybe Alex was easier to accept that to understand. He scrolled down through the game menu and selected "BEGIN FIGHT"

His character took some getting used to, but between the long-range of the guns and the wide, sweeping attacks that the snake heads were capable of, he managed just fine. They played in silence for a while, before Finn finally spoke up.

"When you were connected to the sphinx, I got too close and saw into your minds."

Alex was silent for a while, he seemed lost in thought.

"ROUND 1 GOES TO PLAYER 2"

"That explains why your sleeping badly." he finally said.

"How do you cope with it?" Finn asked him.

Alex thought some more.

"I just, find other things to keep me occupied during the day."

Finn pressed him further.

"But how do you get to sleep?"

Alex frowned and sighed.

"I don't. I close my eyes, sit perfectly still, and I don't make a sound. But I haven't truly slept in one-thousand years."

"ROUND 2 GOES TO PLAYER 1"

Finn despaired at that, and focused on the game. They played for several minutes, their characters performing an intricate dance of attacking, dodging, and countering. Then Finn, a few seconds to late, noticed Alex had been using the same strategy he'd used to beat Jake. His sprite leapt over Finn's and cleaved it's blade down.

"FINISH HIM"

"FATALITY"

"VICTORY FOR PLAYER 1"

Alex shut off the game and started to walk away. Finn stood and called after him.

"What should I do?"

Alex stopped, and looked back.

"Find something that makes you happy. Then, promise to smile for the rest of the week, smile until it hurts. Then do it again the next week, and the week after that, forever. Hold on to what makes you happy, protect it with you life. Because if you lose it, you become damned. Damned to end up like me."

Alex turned to the door, and left the room.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex left the room, he had nothing more to say. He didn't want to upset the kid, but the truth was that Finn would likely be haunted by what he'd seen for the rest of his days. Alex really had no good advice to give him, but he hoped that Finn could find happiness. Alex had lost his when Dana had died.

The last time Alex remembered smiling an actual smile, without any sarcasm or irony, was...

_It was fall. The leaves in central park were orange, red, and the other assortment of colors that were usually associated with this time of year. Alex was running through it as fast as he possibly could, careful not to damage the package he was carrying. If he didn't get home quickly, he'd be too late._

_He got the and scaled the building Dana and him lived in, reaching the roof within seconds. He ran inside and dashed to their apartment._

_Inside it was pitch black, no lights were on and nobody was home. He gave a sigh of relief and placed the package on the counter. He carefully opened it, placed the contents on the table and stood to the side, facing the door. He heard footsteps approach the door._

_Dana opened the door, fumbling for the light switch. She flicked it on, and was greeted by the sight of her brother standing in the dining area, a cake on the table beside him. He smiled._

_"Happy birthday sis."_

The flashback ended, gone as quickly as it had come. Alex shook his head. Dwelling on the past would solve nothing, he needed to focus on the here and now. Sometimes it was the only way for him to stay sane.

Alex paused and searched the hive-mind. Since finding out about the Princess's experiments, he'd been searching periodically. So far he hadn't found anything, which could mean one of two things.

Either:

A. No new infected had been created, (Best case scenario)

or

B. Whoever, or whatever had been infected had caused the virus to mutate, preventing him from sensing them. (Worst case scenario)

He continued into the kitchen/dining area, where Jake was muttering to himself, shuffling through a box of cards. When he caught sight of Alex an evil smile spread across his face.

"Hey Alex, wanna play?" Jake called ominously.

Alex walked over to Jake, and inspected the box of cards. Inside were various cards that had the words, "Card Wars" printed across the back. Alex vaguely remembered it, he'd consumed a few enthusiasts in his day. He'd never actually played, but he knew the rules.

Finn walked into the room, with BMO following behind. When they saw the box, they quietly got Alex's attention and started shaking their heads and making warning gestures. Alex could tell from playing video games with him that Jake was ultra competitive, and that he didn't like losing. But with his limited mind-reading, Alex knew that this was important to Jake. He sat down, pulled out a sheet, and started to play.

* * *

An Hour Later

Alex tapped his creature.

"My Shadow Golem uses his phase ability to bypass your Husker Knights, dealing damage directly to you, your HP is now at zero."

Jake yelled in frustration and threw his deck onto the floor, then stormed out of the room. Alex had to be honest, Jake wasn't that good, but it didn't seem like an excuse to have a total meltdown like that. Regardless, Alex picked up the cards, and put them back into the box. Finn walked into the room and sat down across from Alex.

"I suppose we should've warned you, never play Card Wars with Jake, he gets crazy competitive. Last time we played, the only way I managed to save our friendship is by throwing the game. He'll calm down eventually."

Alex said nothing.

"So," Finn continued, "I've been thinking about what you told me and, well, I've decided to try and get back together with my ex-girlfriend, Flame Princess."

Alex looked at him.

"Was she that girl who melted me?" he asked.

"Well, yeah." Finn said nervously.

"Good luck." Alex said sarcastically.

"About that," Finn began "got any advice?"

Alex laughed wryly.

"The last girlfriend I had tried to kill me," he told Finn, "I am the LAST person you want to ask for girl advice."

* * *

Rot's POV

Rot stood atop a small outcropping, surveying the army of criminals he'd gathered.

His army was made up of four groups of people. The first was the ones he trusted the least, just in general. They were the criminals, brought to him by promise of gold, plunder, and the simple desire to kill. He trusted them to fight, but he knew that most of them would stab him in the back if they thought they could get something out of it.

The second (and smallest) group were those who were desperate. They were people from the outlying provinces of the Candy Kingdom, who'd rallied around some old village leader as their representative. They were poor, starving, and most of them weren't in good fighting condition. They would hold spears and point them at people, but should they meet REAL combat, they would doubtless flee in a heartbeat.

Third, there were the revolutionaries, the dissidents. They were the ones who didn't agree with the way things were running within the kingdom. Some wanted to become king, some wanted to depose the Princess and set up a democracy, some wanted to depose her and set up a dictatorship, or a council, one guy even believed that the church should be running things. He despised them, but all were motivated, and all had money, something he was in desperate need of.

The last group were the only ones he expected to cause any real damage in the fighting, the mercenaries. They were the only ones he didn't have to train, equip, or promise political favors to. He just had to give them money, which the revolutionaries were more than happy to supply. But his wallet was running empty. He'd have to attack soon or risk their desertion.

Rot called his generals into the war tent. Inside there was a map of the candy city, and the surrounding landscape. He sat there with his eight "generals", two of the most respected people from each of the groups. If he'd had his way, Rot wouldn't associate with almost any of them. But diplomacy demanded he treat them with some measure of respect.

The criminals had sent a man named Rupert to be their first representative, mostly because he'd killed anyone who said otherwise. He wore a seemingly random mix of armor and weapons, and he liked to brag that each one was taken from a different man he'd killed. The other was a woman in her late 20's, maybe early 30's, some pirate queen named Isabella. Lounged in her chair, at least fifteen knives of various sizes hanging from various belts that crisscrossed her leather armor. Rot would rather have them both stay as far from camp as possible, but they were the two most powerful bandit leaders in Ooo, so they HAD to be included if Rot wanted their people to fight.

There was the old man who people called Wolf, who acted as the head of the village people. He wasn't really an educated man, but long ago he'd been a general, and he knew battlefield tactics inside and out. He and his 23-year-old grandson, Garan, were the only ones that seemed to command any respect among the poor folk, so they had to stay too, although they often didn't get much input.

His two least favorite people happened to be the head revolutionaries. There was Torren, a fat, belligerent man who wanted to take the throne for himself, and Gerard, a cult leader who wanted his religion to replace the current one. The two were plotting something, although Torren was more than likely being manipulated. Regardless, Torren was one of the richest men in the world, and Gerard had enough followers to make a small army. Rot needed their support, even if he'd rather have their heads on pikes.

The last two were Smith, who lead the largest of the two groups of mercenaries, and a his second in command, Who'd never given a name, to anybody, ever. Not even Smith knew his name. All anyone knew was that he never spoke, and when using a crossbow, he never missed. People just called him One-Arm, on account of the fact that he only had a single arm, his left arm ended in a stump. He'd attached a clever harness to it that he'd fashioned, which let him hold a crossbow. They were not only the best warriors in this ragtag army, but ironically, the ones who seemed least likely to betray him.

Honestly, the bandits and pirates would probably start looting and pillaging with no regard for orders the minute they entered the city. Those who were desperate would never REALLY fight, they just wanted a share of the loot. Rot was pretty sure that Torren and Gerard were plotting against him, and he didn't really care.

He didn't need to win this fight, and he didn't even plan to. All he had to do was get this disaster on legs into the city, and he could be rid of them.

His "generals" were in a heated debate. Wolf was in favor of laying siege to the city, knocking down their walls with sustained catapult fire. The bandits and Torren wanted to storm the city, going over the walls and opening the gates from the inside, though Rupert and Isabella were in conflict as to who would attack first. Gerard was being strangely quiet, while Smith was loudly declaring that if they didn't attack soon his men would have to take their pay and go. Rot had to attack soon.

"Attention!" He commanded.

The tent went silent, all eyes were on him.

"I have a plan to get us into the city, and it will require neither time nor money. Gather you men, we attack at dawn!"

The various leaders left the tent, Smith and One-Arm the last to leave.

"Except for you two." Rot told them, stopping them.

"I have a special plan for you two."

* * *

That Night

Alex's POV

Alex was staring at the ceiling, not really thinking about anything, when a loud bellow filled the night. It was loud and low-pitched, it sounded like a horn. He sat up and looked out the window. It was coming from the direction of the Candy Kingdom. Finn and Jake ran into the room.

"Oh, Glob!" Jake said.

"What that sound?" Alex asked.

"That's the emergency horn," Finn stated, "they only blow it during an emergency."

The horn blew a second time, Finn and Jake seemed to become even more nervous.

"Please don't blow again." Jake stared saying, over and over.

"What does it mean if it blows again." Alex questioned.

"If it blows once," Finn explained, "it means there has been a natural disaster, like an earthquake. If it blows a second time, it means there has been a man-made disaster, like a large explosion."

The horn ran a third time, and Jake started breathing so hard he almost caused hyperventilation.

"What does it mean if it blows three times?" Alex asked.

Finn stared out the window, an anxious look in his eyes.

"It means the Kingdom's under attack."

* * *

**And cliffhanger. I wonder if anyone can guess what Rot's plan to get inside the city is, and what his plans are.**


	10. Swords and Steel

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prototype or Adventure Time. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, I sure did. **

**Also, I want you opinion. Who in this story do you think are the Men/Women, and who do you think are the Monsters? Just send your thoughts to me in your reviews.**

**One final thing. I have added a few famous (and some not so famous) quotes to my story. There is one in the next chapter, and another one in the first chapter if you want to go back and read it.**

* * *

Chapter 10

Finn's POV

They were walking down the road, slowly making their way towards the Candy Kingdom. As they walked along the darkened trail, Finn couldn't help but notice the first twinges of dread creep through his mind. He'd fought many villains, monsters, and other vile things over the years, but he'd never faced an army.

He wasn't the only one who seemed scared though. Jake hadn't spoken since they'd left, and he was several shades paler that usual. Alex also hadn't spoken, but Finn didn't see fear in his eyes. It looked more like... anticipation. Finn knew that Alex was powerful, but that look in his eye still terrified him.

They came to the top of the last hill before the Kingdom, and Finn's dread grew even more.

Gathered outside the gates, the largest collection of armed men Finn had ever seen stretched before them. A veritable sea of iron and steel, seemingly endless, and chanting for blood. Even worse, they were right in front of the gates, making it impossible to pass. They couldn't circle around them, that would take too long, and fighting through them was out of the question. Finn sat down and held his head, trying to come up with a solution.

Suddenly, something grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and hoisted him off his feet. Alex had lifted him of the ground, Jake held in his other hand.

"Hold on." Alex told them.

He ran toward the advancing army, going full speed. A few soldiers noticed them, and readied their spears. They were racing towards certain death.

Then, right before they would have gotten skewered, Alex leapt into the air. He soared over the tops of the soldiers' heads, and came down right in the middle of their formation. The second Alex's feet hit the ground, he jumped again. They soared over their enemy, and Finn realized that they were neither as numerous, nor as well equipped as he'd initially thought. They still outnumbered the castle garrison, but about half of them lacked proper armor, and he could see brief glimpses of their weapons, most of which were either spotted with rust, or too shiny to have ever been used.

And then they were over the wall, completely unscathed. Alex dropped them, and Jake fell to his knees, almost stark white, and began kissing the ground. Alex smirked and began walking towards the castle, which seemed to be where almost everyone else was heading. Finn pulled Jake up and followed.

The Kingdom had changed. Gone was the peace, that quiet bliss that usually filled the air. Now tension filled the air, as banana guards sharpened spears, built barricades, and evacuated any civilians that weren't able to help build defenses. The sight tore at Finn's soul, he'd never thought that the Candy Kingdom could look so grim.

Inside the palace, the sick and elderly, along with most of the women and children were gathered. Those who weren't hiding in here were outside, preparing for battle. The people were scared. Alex strode past them, his step quickening. Finn followed, and they entered the next room.

* * *

Alex's POV

The sight of the civilians made Alex uncomfortable. He remembered the first days of the plague, when people were convinced that the problem would be solved within days, then it would be back to business as usual. He could feel that these people had similar thoughts on this siege. It worried him.

Within the next room, they'd set up a table, covered in maps and charts, with small figurines depiction both armies. Around the table were the Princess, wearing some sort of war dress, some assorted guards with medals on their chests, and a small man with a glass for a head, who seemed to be giving orders to the other guards.

"They have the city surrounded, and our supply lines are cut off." the Princess said, studying the map. "However, they don't seem to have any siege engines. Unless they plan to dig _under_ the wall."

The Glass Head Man spoke up.

"Sgt., take a team of your best archers and have them patrol the wall. Give them orders to shoot at the first sign that the enemy is trying to dig tunnels."

One of the guards nodded and left. Alex approach the table, standing across from the Princess. She didn't look pleased to see him. Finn and Jake followed and stood on either side of the table. She seemed much happier to see them.

"Finn, Jake, I'm glad you came." she told them. "To be honest, I need your help. There's no good way to put this. If the invaders breach the walls, there is a very good chance that they'll find a way into the palace. I need you two to guard the civilians, and keep them safe if the palace is invaded."

Finn and Jake nodded, and the Princess turned back to the map.

Suddenly, Alex felt a small breeze pass by him. However, there was no wind inside the palace. He switched his eyes over to the thermal spectrum, and he saw a familiar dark shape hovering above them. He smirked and looked at it.

"Hello Marceline."

Everyone seemed confused, then to their surprise, the aforementioned vampire appeared above the table.

"Hello Alex, sharp as ever I see." She said, smirking.

After their last meeting, Marceline had been less hostile and more teasing. They weren't exactly the best of friends, but they got along.

"Why are you here?" the Princess asked.

"Aww c'mon Bonnie, you didn't really think I would let you guys deal with a disaster like this and not help, did you?"

The princess was about to respond, but then a messenger rushed into the room.

"Someone is approaching the castle waving a white flag. They've requested that you speak to them."

The Princess frowned, turning to the others.

"I should talk to this guy. You guys stay here."

Finn spoke up.

"No way," he told her, "If you're going, we're going too. This guy might try something, and besides, I want to see this creep firsthand."

"Fine," the Princess said, "but at the first sign of trouble I want you to fall back to the palace and guard the civilians. We can't let them get hurt. The rest of you stay here and try to work out a strategy."

Finn nodded and they left, heading for the outer walls.

A Few Minutes Later

Alex stood atop the wall, staring down at the enemy's apparent leader. Finn, Jake, PB, and Marceline stood by him, The Princess speaking down to the man while Alex and the rest watched.

The man PB spoke to wore a ratty brown cloak, concealing his identity. He spoke in a dry, raspy voice, as if he'd been eating salt and sand. However, he was surprisingly proficient at projecting his voice.

"Princess!" he yelled, "Open your gates and pile you riches in the town square. We shall take our spoils and leave you in peace."

The Princess didn't buy his speech however.

"You speak for yourself, but how can I trust the honor of your men?" she shouted back, "You lead an army of thieves and criminals, and we shall not surrender to the likes of you!"

"So be it!" the leader shouted back. He pulled back his hood, revealing a thin, skeleton-like face that could barely be identified as belonging to a banana man. A flash of recognition flashed across the Princess's face, but she remained silent.

The Leader walked up to the wall, pulling off a pair of gloves. Then he laid his hands on the stone surface.

From where his fingers touched the wall, the wall turned a withered gray color, which began to spread. When it became about 20 ft. wide and 15 ft. tall, he pulled one hand back and punched the wall.

The entire wall shook, and the section they were standing on began to crumble. Everyone scrambled to avoid falling, though a few unfortunate guards fell with the rubble and were crushed. When the crumbling stopped, there was a huge breach in the wall. The enemy Leader pulled his hood back up and screamed.

"ATTACK!"

Hundreds of men rushed in through the breach, mobbing the few guards that hadn't died when they fell. Those that were inside began to hastily form a defensive line, holding their weapons at the ready. The invaders scattered every direction they could, swarming around the soldiers, breaking into buildings and houses. It was total chaos.

"Get back to the castle!" the Princess screamed.

Alex picked up Finn and Jake, while Marceline carried PB, and they ran/flew back to the palace.

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn was in shock.

His mind refused to accept what it had just witnessed. He'd just seen a man destroy a wall with his bare hands, and now there was a full-scale ground war in the streets of the Candy Kingdom. As Alex ran, Finn caught brief glances of soldiers fighting, buildings burning, people screaming. It was a scene from beyond his worst nightmares.

They stopped at the gates of the palace. Alex set him and Jake down, then turned back to the battlefield. The Princess stopped him.

"Where are you going? We need to protect the civilians!" She shouted at him.

Alex turned around, his arm shifting into a blade.

"I AM going to protect them. I can protect them better out there, where there's no risk of collateral damage, and I'll be damned if you expect me to just sit here when I can fight."

Then he turned around and sped back towards the battle.

"I'm going with him." Marceline said.

She floated after him, raising her axe.

"He has a point. Every enemy that dies out there can't hurt the civilians here. You guys can keep them safe, I trust you."

Then she vanished.

* * *

Rot's POV

Rot sat at a table inside an abandoned house, sipping a glass of water. It turned polluted, and stagnant the second it touched his lips, but for some reason he didn't mind the taste. He'd gotten used to eating rotten food in the last few weeks. The door swung open and Smith entered, One-Arm following.

"It took forever to find this place." Smith grumbled, taking a seat across from him. "Now, what did you want us to come here for? My men are out there getting killed, and I don't feel comfortable leaving them to die out there without a good reason."

Rot sat up and leaned forward.

"What if I told you that underneath the palace, below the deepest dungeons, they were holding a treasure so powerful that it could reshape the face of Ooo forever? That whoever held it could become the undisputed master of the world? Is that a good enough reason?"

Smith looked suspicious, but nonetheless intrigued.

"I'd say that's a very good reason, assuming you're telling the truth. However, if that's the case, why would you let us in on it?"

"I can't carry it out." Rot admitted. "It would crumble to dust the second I picked it up."

Smith sat there, the gears in his head turning. Then, he spoke.

"Fine. We'll play ball."

Rot motioned over to some rucksacks in the corner.

"Then put those on and follow me." He instructed them.

Then, the three men left out the back door, and as such the fate of the world was sealed.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex sped around the battlefield, destroying all in his path. Men screamed as his claws tore into them, as his fists smashed them, as his blade hacked them in two. This is what he lived for. This is what he was made for.

Fighting became a blur to him. One moment he was saving some poor candy person who hadn't gotten to the palace in time, the next he was leaping off a building and into the ranks of an enemy formation. As he wreaked havoc, he heard shouts of warning coming from those few who'd glimpsed him and survived. They were screaming that the princess had released a monster from the dungeons, a beast to destroy them all. Well, he didn't want to disappoint them.

He ran here, there everywhere, his hands a blur of motion as he rapidly changed between forms. Spikes shot from the ground, large rocks flew through the air, and he left a trail of blood and broken, mutilated bodies in his wake.

He spied a large, corpulent man shouting orders to people astride a suffering horse. He dashed up to him, ripping him out of the saddle and consuming him. The men under his command dropped their weapons and fled, all trying to escape the monster that was killing its way through their ranks. Then, while on top of a building, he saw just how far the enemy had gotten.

A force of at least a dozen men had made it to the palace gates. Finn and Jake were trying to fight them off, but them were getting swamped as even more soldiers joined the ones they were already fighting. Alex began to race towards them, but then he saw something else.

Off in the distance, a bright orange light glowed as a plume of smoke rose into the sky. The city was burning. Finn and Jake were in a tight spot, but if the city burned there would be nothing left to save, and this desperate fight would have been for nothing. Making his decision, he sped toward the fire.

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn and Jake were panting, they'd all been fighting nonstop for the past two hours. But the enemies just kept coming. Jake had grown to twice his normal size and was knocking people this way and that, but he was getting overrun. Meanwhile, Finn dueled at least five men at once. It seemed that every time they killed one, another would take his place. Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, the flood stopped. No one else came towards the gates.

"Yeah!" Finn shouted, trying to sound confident. "That's right, who's next?"

A large man wearing a mismatched set of armor stalked up to the gates, holding a gigantic war hammer. He swung it around with ease, slamming it into the ground hard enough to crack the pavement. Several other weapons hung from his belt, clattering as he walked.

"You're a good swordsman boy." the man said darkly. "My name's Rupert, and I'll be taking that sword now. I can add it to my collection."

Rupert advanced, swinging his hammer. Finn rolled out-of-the-way as the heavy weapon broke the pavement where he'd been standing. He came up swinging, but Rupert blocked him. Finn leapt back to avoid having his head crushed as Rupert's weapon swung for him again.

Finn darted in and swung his sword. It screeched against Rupert's cobbled together armor. It didn't all fit together, but all of it was steel. Rupert shoved him back and tried to bull rush him, but Finn leapt over his head. Turning around, he caught a brief glimpse of an opening he could exploit. Though Rupert had covered his front in steel, his rear armor was made of leather. He knew how to beat this guy.

Rupert stared him down, then suddenly dashed forward, swinging his hammer. Finn, reacting on instinct, made the mistake of trying to block it with his sword. The heavy weapon smashed his sword into fragments and sent Finn stumbling backwards.

Finn blinked several times to shake away the stars. Rupert slowly swaggered up to him.

"Looks like I over did it." He gloated, raising his hammer over Finn's head. "Well kid, you put up a good fight, but now it's time to finish this little duel."

The hammer swung down, but Finn rolled to the side. He quickly got to his feet, picking up the shattered hilt of his sword. Rupert raised his hammer and charged, bellowing a war cry. Finn leapt into the air, landing on Rupert's shoulders as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon. Then he plunged the splintered sword into Rupert's back.

The remains of the sword were sharp enough to pierce Rupert's patch of leather armor. He stiffened, his hammer falling from his fingers as Finn jumped back onto the ground behind him. Slowly Rupert turned, fixing Finn with a haunting gaze.

"Well kid," he said. "I've never seen someone... fight like you."

Rupert pulled a sword from his belt. It had a black hilt, inlaid with silver. The blade appeared to be made of a white metal, and shone with a radiant light. Rupert detached the scabbard and sheathed the sword once more. He fell to his knees and held out the sword to Finn.

"This sword is... called Wyrm's Bane." Rupert said, his breath becoming shallow and labored. "It's made from the teeth... of a 1,000 year old dragon. I claimed it from a bandit... who found it in a cave. Take it."

Finn reached out and took the sword. It seemed to flash brightly at his touch. Rupert smiled grimly, and fell to his side.

"I never thought I would be defeated... much less by a kid. But I can respect strength... if nothing else. Even a slimy... backstabbing bandit like me... can have a shred of honor. I can honestly say... that I hope you... survive kid. But the man... who hired us... is one... nasty... guy..."

Rupert's breathing stopped, and he gazed into the sky as his eyes went dark. Finn looked grimly at his new sword, the strapped it to his back, and turned back to the city, awaiting the next wave of invaders.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex tore through more soldiers on the way to the scene of the fire. A large portion of the enemy had begun to retreat after he bisected a pirate woman who'd been whirling like a dervish, hurling knives and swinging a scimitar at anyone she could hit. He arrived at the scene of the blaze.

Several guardsmen ran about, trying to douse the fires. However, enemy soldiers kept attacking, making the process difficult. The attackers were being spurred on by some man in a robe, shouting that they "burn the foundations of this corrupt blight on the world" or some such lunacy. His little speech got cut short however, when his head suddenly detached from his body. It tumbled down from the roof he stood on and was lost in the shuffling mass of combat.

Alex leapt into the crowd of soldiers, hacking apart a few to get people's attention. He didn't really need to kill all of them. He just needed to get their attention long enough for the guards to put out the fire.

He attacked, fighting just hard enough that the enemy focused solely on him, while still taking enough superficial hits that they didn't consider just leaving him alone.

As he fought, Alex noticed something, he would be fighting people in one place, when suddenly someone would go down under a heavy slicing blow somewhere else. He continued fighting, when the enemy backed off a bit, forming a circle around him. Then, he heard a voice speak.

"Need a hand?" Marceline joked, appearing next to him.

"Not really," he replied, "Though I couldn't really stop you from helping."

She smirked and they stood back-to-back as the enemy charged.

If Alex alone was an avatar of death, then together he and Marceline were a twin whirlwind of destruction. He sped around the battle field, ripping enemies to shreds. Marceline blinked in and out of sight, people simply falling as injuries simply appeared on their bodies. Together they were winning. Together they were unstoppable.

Then, as the last of the fires died, another light lit the sky. The first rays of dawn were peeking over the walls of the kingdom.

Marceline screamed in agony as the light fell upon her. Alex heard her and raced toward the sound of her voice. He found her upon the ground, her skin blistering. He bent down and, blocking the sun from her, sped off into a nearby building.

Once inside he set her in on the floor. She slowly regained consciousness, and sat up.

"Are you alright?" Alex asked her.

"Yeah," she replied. "I'll be fine."

"Stay here," Alex told her, turning to leave. "Don't come out until the fighting stops."

"I can help." she protested. "I'm NOT a little kid."

"I know." Alex told her. "But I don't want your help. I want you to stay safe."

Suddenly an explosion rocked the Kingdom, causing a bit of the ceiling to collapse.

"That came from the palace!" Marceline exclaimed.

Alex started to head there, when Marceline stopped him.

"I don't care what you say," she told him. "I'm coming with."

With that, she picked up a rug and wrapped herself in it, providing a crude shelter from the sun.

Alex shook his head and sighed. It would be faster if he just didn't argue. He jumped out of the hole in the roof and ran to the castle as fast as he could, Marceline flying behind him.

* * *

**Aaaand cliffhanger. I didn't get to write in this much, I was checking out all the stuff I got for Christmas. Happy New Years people. Read & Review**


	11. Infection and Injustice

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prototype or Adventure Time. Sorry that this came out so late. I've been having computer problems since 1/5. Honestly, this chapter was supposed to be part of LAST chapter, but it ran a bit long so I decided to split it into two chapters. I'd really like to get some feedback on this chapter in particular. Enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter 11

Whoever fights monsters should take care, lest he become one himself.

And if one gazes long enough into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.

- Friedrich Nietzsche

Finn's POV

Finn held his new blade in his hand, preparing for the next wave of invaders. He'd just claimed this new weapons from a man called Rupert, who'd dubbed it Wyrm's Bane. The white metal of the blade shone with the radiance of a small star, and Finn couldn't help but feel more at ease with it in his hand.

As he scanned the battlefield, he noticed that the fighting had begun to die out. There were still a few minor skirmishes here and there, but overall the banana guards seemed to be gaining the upper hand. Just now Finn could see a large group of enemy soldiers surrendering. Things were looking up.

_BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!_

An explosion of seismic proportions shock the foundations of the Kingdom. Finn spun around to see smoke rising from the castle as the civilians rushed to evacuate in a huge tidal wave of pushing and shoving. Finn sheathed his sword and ran into the building, Jake racing behind him.

Smoke filled the air as Finn made his way towards its source. The trail of smoke les him downstairs, into the dungeon. It wasn't long before he recognized the hallways. The smoke came from the secret lab.

* * *

Two Hours Ago

Rot's POV

Rot stood outside the palace walls. Smith and One-Arm stood behind him, both carrying large rucksacks. Rot placed his hand on the wall, and the stone began to crack at his touch. Soon, they had a small tunnel leading into the bowls of the castle dungeon. Rot waved for the others to follow, and they slowly crept down into the bowls of the candy palace.

Leading purely by memory, Rot lead the two mercenaries deep into the dungeon, which was completely unguarded. All of the guards were out fighting his army. Everything was going to plan.

Finally, Rot stopped in front of a large door, completely covered in signs that declared the room to contain biohazards, dangerous chemicals, and other nasty thing, all superseded by a very large, red sign that simply said: "KEEP OUT"

Smith stopped in his tracks, holding out a hand to One-Arm signaling for him to do the same.

"This is NOT a treasure room." He stated bluntly "You've been lying to us."

Rot grinned slyly.

"Did I?" he asked ominously. "I told you, this treasure is powerful enough to reshape the entire world! It is no gold or gemstones, but something far more rare and valuable."

He placed his hand upon the lock, causing it to rust away. Then he motioned for them to follow.

Smith reluctantly entered the room after him, with One-Arm trailing behind. Inside Rot examined the room, which held many scientific wonders who's significance was entirely lost upon the two mercenaries. Finally, he found a door.

He opened it, and stood in slight awe at the sight before him. Inside a large, freeze-like room, the Princess had somehow managed to produce several hundred gallons of the same black fluid she had extracted from Alex. Fortunately, they head the rucksacks.

Rot called the Mercenaries over.

"Behold gentlemen, our prize!"

They seemed impressed by the sheer size of the freezer, but still didn't understand what he meant.

"What's so great about a bunch of black goop?" Smith demanded.

Rot sighed in frustration.

"Just open the rucksacks."

* * *

One Hour Ago

Smith's POV

Inside the rucksacks were several remote charges, the kind that could be detonated by a remote switch. Rot probably had that. Smith and One-Arm emptied that bombs onto the floor.

"Place them around the room." Rot directed him.

Smith suspected that Rot was hiding something, but considering the fact that he A: was paying them, and B: could kill them with a flick of the wrist, Smith decided it would be better to do what he said... for now.

Once the bombs were well distributed, Rot began filling the rucksacks with vials of the black gunk inside the freezer room. He wore a pair of rotted leather gloves, which allowed him to pick things up without them rotting. He noticed they were done.

"Go watch for guards, I'll fill these rucksacks."

As Smith stood at the door with One-Arm, he realized that whatever they were stealing must be valuable if Rot wasn't even willing to let them handle the stuff. This merited further investigation.

Rot soon called them back, wordlessly handed them the rucksacks, then left. They followed him through the dungeons, and out through the tunnel. Once in the sunlight, Rot pulled a small remote with a red button, and a slip of paper from some secret pocket of his cloak. As he walked away from the tunnel entrance, he let the paper fall from his grasp, and as it settled on the pavement, he pushed the button.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex stood before the wrecked remains of the lab. The door had been blown open, left in a smoking pile at the entrance to the room. Marceline floated behind him, the disbelief clearly shown upon her face. How someone could have gotten inside the castle, Alex did not know. But whoever they were, they'd left destruction in their wake.

Finn, Jake, and the Princess were already searching through the ashes of the burned room when he and Marceline had arrived. So far, there seemed to be very little indication of who'd been here, and why they'd blown the place up.

Alex soon found the vault where the biomass had been stored, and quickly absorbed what wasn't incinerated. He turned to the Princess.

"So, you didn't have any more of my cells huh?" He asked sarcastically.

The Princess said nothing, she just stared guiltily at the floor. Alex surveyed the scene. In the entire fridge, there were only four canisters left.

"We _will_ have words about this when I get back, but right now the biggest issue is finding the one who did this."

Alex closed his eyes and focused. Using his minor psychic ability, he was able to search for a minor mental resonance within the room. When he finally picked one up, he felt a small ping within the Hive Mind. Then he saw it.

It was as if a tiny hole had been torn in the fabric of the Hive Mind. It kind of small thing that you couldn't detect unless you knew exactly what you were looking for, and roughly where to find it. Nevertheless, this was a problem.

The virus had mutated.

Alex reached out with the Hive Mind, and found someone. Or at least... something.

"I got them." He stated, then he ran out of the room, leaving a room full of baffled people in his wake.

* * *

Rot's POV

Rot dashed out of the breach in the wall, the two mercenaries close behind. Though they'd tried to leave quietly, the sheer volume of guards around the breach had made that impossible. Now they were running across the candy field, dodging arrows as they made their way to the relative safety of the candy forest (and now that he thought about it, why did everything have to have the word _candy_, or something of the like, in its name).

Suddenly, a sharp pain flashed through his head, as if someone had reach into his mind and stuck a fishing hook in it. He faltered a bit, and two arrows plunged into his back. Surprisingly though, he felt no pain. He kept running, reaching back to pull the arrows from his back and fling them to the side.

Suddenly, a thunderous crash shook the field, causing the very ground to shake. Rot stumbled once again, as three more arrows stabbed into him. He yanked them from his back and turned to see what had caused such a crash.

A cloud of dust rose in the air as some kind of... thing, race for them.

"Get to the forest!" Rot shouted to Smith and One-Arm. "I'll take care of this."

The dust cloud grew closer, and at the head of it, Rot could see a man, running towards him at unbelievable speeds. Rot could move fast, but this guy was a whirlwind. There was only one person Rot knew of who could move like that.

Alex Mercer.

Rot removed his gloves and flexed his talon-like fingers, preparing for a fight.

His enemy Dashed forward, claws flashing. Rot moved to block him, but found one claw buried in his stomach. Out of instinct, he grabbed Alex's arm, more out of sheer desperation than from any sort of plan. Where he touched, black ooze dripped like pus from Alex's skin. Alex gritted his teeth, and swung his other claw.

Rot felt a sharp stab of pain as his left arm separated from his body. The stump burned like fire, but did not bleed. Rot stared at it in disbelief, then felt a rolling wave of nausea at the sight of his arm falling to the ground. Alex's hand shot out and grabbed it, assimilating the arm in seconds.

Alex grinned darkly for a few seconds, then his expression changed. He looked strained all of a sudden, like he'd eaten some bad seafood. He pulled his claw out of Rot's chest and held his head, his hands shifting back into their normal form. He fell to his knees and began to scream.

Biomass ran down his face, his arms, his entire body. It oozed from every pore, dripping from his eyes, his ears, his _nose_. He even began to vomit the stuff. Rot had no idea what had caused this, he knew this was the only opening he'd get. He jabbed the fingers of his remaining hand into Alex's throat. Then, with all the force he could muster, he pulled up.

He spun around and dashed for the forest, leaving Alex headless, and melting behind him.

* * *

Smith's POV

Smith dashed past Rot, One-Arm following. Arrows continued to fall around them, the fact that they were unhurt a testament to their sheer amount of luck. They made it half-way to the forest before that luck ran out.

One-Arm fell to his knees as an arrow pierced his back, the sound of shattering glass the only indication of his injury. Smith picked him up, hoisting his second-in-command over his shoulder and dashing to the forest.

He ran, ran until he could no longer see the castle, until he could no longer hear the sound of combat, until he stumble, unable to run any farther. Once he'd stopped, he set One-Arm down and inspected his injuries. The arrow had gone through his rucksack, shattering one of the vials. Smith didn't know much about wounds, but he knew that they shouldn't be leaking black ooze.

He inspected the broken vial, to pass the time if nothing else. A bit of... whatever was inside it, still pooled in one of the shattered ends. He picked it up and reached inside to inspect the black fluid.

Suddenly, the ooze lunged at his right hand, wrapping around it like a cast. His arm burned like fire, as he felt it twist and warp within the dark cocoon that had encased it. He fell to the ground, and passed out.

* * *

Finn's POV

After Alex left, PB went back to going through the rubble, mumbling under her breath about his "impertinence". Finn didn't know what that meant, but he knew it wasn't a good thing. He had a feeling that their next conversation could get nasty.

Eventually, the Princess got tired of sifting through the wreckage and the four of them went to go calm down the citizens before they started freaking out. Well, freaking out more.

As they left the castle (Marceline grabbing an umbrella), the battle was finally starting to wind down. The banana guards had managed to capture what enemy troops hadn't either run away, or died. They had them held in the square, Root Beer Guy overseeing, while the non-combatants were starting to clean up. As they entered the square, Finn actually managed to get a good look at the "prisoners".

Though during the fight it seemed that most of them had been cold-blooded killers, these people looked completely different. The group was made up of all kinds of people, men and women, ranging from barely past into their teen years, to so old they barely looked fit to lit a shovel, and all were almost painfully thin. They looked more like farmers than fighters. The princess approached them.

"Who is your leader?" she shouted to the mob.

An ancient man stepped from the crowd a younger man, who looked to be in his late teens to early twenties, following him. The two were arguing about something, but Finn couldn't hear them. Finally the younger man backed down, and the old man faced the Princess.

"I am called Wolf, and I am the leader of these people Princess." he said in a frail voice.

The Princess frowned.

"What did you hope to gain by attacking my people?" She demanded.

The old man smiled wryly, sitting on the ground, to the Princess's obvious distaste.

"Your people." Wolf muttered with a grim chuckle. "We ARE your people."

"What?" PB exclaimed.

"While the man who led us, and many who follow him, are indeed criminals, my people and I hail from several villages on the edge of your kingdom. Where we come from, there is so little food to go around that people collapsing on the street from hunger is almost a daily occurrence. So yes, we joined this army. We joined because it was the only way we could think of to put a steady supply of food in our stomachs, and if you can fault us for that, then I weep for the future of Ooo."

The Princess looked shocked. Finn had no idea that such a thing was happening within the borders of the Candy Kingdom, and it looked like PB didn't either.

"I am truly sorry for your suffering," she began, "but I cannot overlook treason against the Kingdom. Crimes of such nature cannot simply go unpunished."

Wolf frowned, but did not hesitate in his answer.

"Joining the rebellion was MY idea," he shouted, his voice almost pleading, "punish ME, but let these good people leave in peace."

The Princess mulled this over, then began to speak.

"Alright, your people can go, but you must go in the dun-"

"GRANDFATHER, NO!" a loud voice cried from the crowd.

The young man that Wolf had argued with stepped forth.

"I'm NOT going to let you take the blame for this. YOU may have led us to this fight, but WE are the ones who decided to follow."

"Garan," Wolf began, "don't cause more trouble."

Garan knelt to the pavement and picked up a rock.

"It not fair to punish an old man for our mistakes." He shouted, "and I'm not going to stand for it."

He threw the rock at the Princess. It sailed through the air and struck her on the cheek. She held her hand to stanch the flow of blood trickling from the open wound. Garan picked up another rock, and more people joined him. Stones, garbage, and clumps of dirt flew towards the her, giving her several other small injuries, and a black eye.

The banana guards moved in, throwing several spears to quell the small riot that had so suddenly flared to life. More than one scream of agony accompanied the falling of the spears.

The Princess's eyes grew cold, an almost unhinged anger flaring behind her pupils.

"I've changed my mind," she announced coldly, "All of you are going into the dungeon. Forever."

Finn couldn't believe what he was hearing. Princess Bubblegum wasn't that cruel. Why was she acting crazy all of a sudden.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one who felt this way.

"What are you saying Princess?" Jake shouted.

"Yeah, what the heck?" Finn chimed in.

"Bonnie," Marceline began, "You can't just put all these people in the dungeon. It's... it's messed up."

PB's eyes still had that cold fire burning in them.

"Of course I can," she said, her voice dangerously quiet, "my dungeon has plenty of room. The three of you should remember that."

Then she simply walked away.

* * *

Alex's POV

Alex slowly opened his eyes. It was at least noon by the position of the sun. He looked around.

He was laying in a puddle of biomass, which he could tell was decayed beyond assimilation. This was bad, the virus inside of this guy must have mutated to the point of being incompatible with the Blacklight virus. He would have to think this over soon, but right now he had to get back to the kingdom.

He spotted a bloodied arrow lying on the ground. Walking over to it, he could see a speck of black blood on the head of the arrow. He found about five total, not that it was easy with all the other arrows around.

Alex quickly ran back to the tunnel entrance, where he found another clue. A small square of paper had been left on the ground. He picked it up, read it, and headed back into the castle.

The dungeon seemed, fuller than when he last came through here. He walked past the crowded cells and into the ruined lab.

As he'd expected, the Princess was inside, sitting on a burnt stone, staring glumly at the remaining bottles of biomass while holding an ice pack to her eye.

"You're not that smart for a genius are you." he called to her.

The second she heard him, the Princess's face became impassive, but Alex could sense her fear. She turned to him, removing the ice pack, her black eye in full view.

"What do _you _want?" she demanded impudently.

He dropped the arrows on to the table.

"Just a gift." he replied sarcastically, "I caught up to the guy who did this. It was the same one who took down the walls. I fought him but, he got away."

"Sounds like your losing your touch." she shot back smugly.

"Well, if his heart wasn't pumping my biomass through his veins he'd be paste."

The Princess said nothing, she just went back to holding ice to her eye. Alex continued.

"I also found this note outside the tunnel he used to get in. Let me read it for you." He pulled the paper from his pocket and read it aloud.

"Kyle sends his regards."

"Who would Kyle be?" he asked with mock-innocence, "An old boyfriend? Or maybe somebody _else_ who's cells you stole?"

She grimaced.

"I don't have to answer to you." she growled, trying to sound brave.

"What about those new addition to the dungeon? Do you answer to them?"

"They committed treason and are serving just punishment." she replied.

"What treason?" Alex asked, his voice still dripping with sarcasm. "They look more like farmers than criminals. Do you honestly expect me to believe that _they _led the attack on the kingdom? Or did you find a rotten carrot in your soup and decide to start throwing peasants in the dungeon? Will you perform the execution by boiling _them_? Or are you going to roll out the headsman's axe? Hangings always an option too I suppose."

The more Alex went on with this, the more the Princess's face betrayed her anger. Anger, mixed with sadness.

"Get out." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Is that an order?" Alex asked.

"GET OUT!" the Princess screamed, hurling her ice pack at Alex.

Alex squinted in distaste, and walked towards the door, calling back one last parting sentence.

"If her so tyrannical majesty doth decree."

As he left, he could hear her sobbing faintly, yet he could find no sympathy for her.

Walking past the cells in the dungeon, he saw the people within looking defeated, dejected, and he paused. He shifted his arm into its muscle mass form and approached the cage.

* * *

Smith's POV

Smith woke up in the candy forest, moonlight shining through the trees. Sitting up, he saw Rot leaning against a dead tree.

"YOU!" he screamed.

He charged at Rot, swinging his axe like a man possessed. Rot easily caught the axe in his hand, his left hand.

"It wouldn't do any good anyway." Rot intoned "Apparently, I can regenerate lost limbs. Nice hand by the way."

Smith was confused. It must have shown on his face, because Rot pulled his axe down from the air above his head and shoved it in Smith's face, for him to see.

The axe was growing out of his wrist.

Smith stumbled back, blinking, trying to banish the nightmarish vision. But to his dismay, nothing changed.

Where his hand should be, the head of a double-bladed axe sprouted from his wrist.

"What happened?" he asked fearfully.

"When your buddy got shot, the arrow must have pierced one of the vials, which you then obviously proceeded to mess with, leading to, well," Rot motioned at his new hand, "that."

Smith stared at it, shivers rolling down his spine.

"If it's any consolation," Rot spoke up, "Yours isn't the strangest mutation we have."

Rot pointed over Smith's head. Sitting behind him, One-Arm was staring with his arms crossed.

_Arms_?

Instead of a stump on his left hand, One-Arm had grown some kind of, crossbow, made entirely of bone, sinew, and a strange black rock-like substance. It was loaded with a strange, bone-like spike. One-Arm just shrugged obviously as bewildered as he was.

"Well, this has been fun," Smith began nervously, "but we'd better get going. don't want the men getting worried."

Rot looked him in the eye.

"They're dead."

"WHAT!" Smith shouted.

"You heard me. They died in the fighting."

Smith felt light-headed, this was a lot to take in right now.

"Not that you could go back to them anyway. They'd freak when they saw that arm of yours."

Smith glared at Rot.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" he demanded angrily.

Rot smiled sinisterly.

"I've got an idea."

* * *

**There it is, Chapter 11. Let me know what you think. I really want to hear some opinions on this one.**


	12. Winds and Whispers

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prototype or Adventure Time. This chapter serves a three-fold purpose. First as a filler because I have no idea what else to write. Second, this idea just got into my brain, and I can't get rid of it, so I just have to get this out of my system. Third, as my own little foray into the horror genre. Oh, and also, I'll give a shoutout to whoever can guess where Rot and his group are heading, It shouldn't be hard. Please review, and Enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter 12

Alex's POV

Finn and Co. were camped in the woods, Finn and Jake sitting around the campfire telling scary stories while Alex kept watch. Marceline had turned invisible and was also floating around somewhere, but Alex didn't really feel like searching for her. He had more important things on his mind.

For the past week, they'd been hunting Rot. It was imperative that they get back those stolen cells. The last thing they needed was another outbreak, and Alex didn't think his conscience could handle having a second genocide weighing on it. Closing his eyes, Alex mulled over the events of the last week.

Not long after the battle, he was able to run a test on those arrows. They confirmed his suspicions. This new virus's ability to decay matter prevented him from consuming it. If he tried, well... he wouldn't be making _that _mistake twice. Although he couldn't be sure if that was true for ALL mutant strains, or just for Rot's strain.

The reparations of the Candy City were underway, and though the damage was extensive, it could be fixed. Unfortunately, that did nothing for the people who'd died in the fighting. Between the soldiers who'd died in combat, and the poor unlucky civilians who hadn't made it to the palace and became embroiled in the fighting, the City was... emptier. Finn and Jake weren't taking it well.

None of them had seen the Princess since the end of the fighting. Evidently, (or at least according to her butler) she'd spent the better part of the last week in the ruins of her lab, sullenly shifting through the ashes of her work. The attack on her kingdom, followed by the revolt, and subsequent escape, of the prisoners seemed to have done a number on her psyche. Or at least, that was what the butler said it seemed like, Alex couldn't be sure.

No one was sure exactly how the prisoners had escaped, though most people weren't to broken up about it. All that anyone knew was that the cell bars were bent (well, more like ripped) open, and that the prisoners had escaped through the same tunnel Rot had used to infiltrate the castle. They hadn't been seen since.

As for Rot, he hadn't been seen since that day. Alex had tried finding him via the Hive Mind, but he'd found that he couldn't connect to it. The connection must have been destroyed by the effects of the new virus. It was eerie the way he'd simply, vanished. Him and the two following him had seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth. There was an investigation underway, and they'd even posted an outrageous bounty on their heads, but nothing had turned up, save for a trail of rotted corpses, and even that had soon dried up.

The four of them had spent the last week roaming the countryside, searching for Rot. Things would've been simpler, but it seemed that since the invasion, every monster, bandit, and malcontent in Ooo had suddenly grown a spine. So, they found themselves having to stop at least twice a day to fight some random threat tearing its way through Ooo, hampering their progress greatly.

Alex tuned back into the conversation just as Jake finished his story.

"Then, as the little gumdrop boy opened the closet door, the soul-eating demon leapt out, and . . . _ATE HIS SOUL!_"

Finn jumped slightly as Jake screamed the last few words, causing Jake to burst out laughing. Soon Finn too saw the humor in the situation, and also started laughing. Marceline appeared, grinning down on them from above.

"You two are such weenies." she teased.

"Hey Alex," Finn shouted, "You got any good scary stories?"

Alex frowned.

"No, I shouldn't." he replied, shaking his head. "I've got to watch for monsters."

"Aww, c'mon Alex," Marceline said, floating down to sit by the fire, "Don't be such a weenie. You've _got_ to know at least one good scary story."

Alex sighed. It would be easier to just tell them a story so they'd stop bugging him.

"Fine, let's see. Besides my own? Let me think..." Alex reached back into his memory, searching for a story. He thought of the current situation, and suddenly knew the perfect story.

"I know one," he finally replied, moving to sit across the fire from the others. "and it feels strangely appropriate now."

* * *

Rot's POV

Rot stared across the icy tundra that was the Ice Kingdom. Since the invasion, he and his two "companions", and he used the term loosely, had been on the run.

The insane price on their heads had ensured that they were all wanted men. Because of it, every mercenary, bandit, wannabe adventurer, and farmer-gone-desperate in Ooo was watching the roads, attacking every raggedly dressed group of three they saw. At first, this didn't stop them from using the main roads, as these gold seekers proved no real threat. It made one wonder why they even bothered with the bounty if

After a few days though, Rot realized the true, horrifying goal of the bounty. The more would-be bounty hunters they killed, easier they would be to track. It didn't take a detective to follow a mile-long trail of rotten, slashed corpses.

So, for the past four days, they'd been sticking to back roads and wilderness. The going was slower, but they definitely got attacked less. Tonight's random campsite was a small cave somewhere in the Ice Kingdom.

Rot watched a penguin wander around outside the cave, sifting through the snow as if searching for something. It picked up a golden crown from the snow, and sped off, as if excited. Rot shook his head. Animals were strange.

"Hey!" Smith's disgruntled voice called out. Since he got his new "hand" he'd been irritable, and unpleasant. Rot would have killed him, AND One-Arm if they hadn't been exposed to Alex's cells, but now he had to have them tagging along, because the last thing he needed were two unaffiliated variable like those two wandering around.

Rot turned to face him. Smith was removing the fake cast that hid his axe during the day. Both him and One-Arm had to wear them to avoid mass panic, after all, most people didn't have weapons for arms.

"What?" Rot asked.

"We've been wandering around for a week, and you still haven't told us where we're going or why we're going there." Smith said in a disgruntled voice.

Rot squinted at him, considering the difficulties involved in killing both of them and leaving them for the vultures. He eventually decided that it would take too long and he'd be better off letting them live, for now.

"Well," he began, "We've got Alex Mercer on our trail, and from what I understand, only fire causes any real damage."

"So. That's not an answer. Just tell us where we're going."

"We're going to get some firepower."

* * *

Jake's POV

Alex sat at the edge of the fire, the flickering orange light casting eerie shadows across his face. Jake couldn't help but shudder, as Alex, in the sleepiest voice imaginable, began his story.

* * *

"Once, long ago, in a land far, far to the north, there lived a young man named Simmons. Simmons's uncle Hank had a close friend, by the name of Dr. Marley, and the two of them shared a common passion.

"They both loved to hunt.

"One day, Simmons's uncle Hank offered to take him on one of their hunting trips. He agreed.

"They traveled to a forest in the north, where they hired a guide, a local man by the name of, Defago. Defago was a long time friend of Hank and the Doctor, and though he was known to be superstitious, he was also one of the best guides in the area.

"Defago led them into the forest, where the four of them made camp. That night, the wind began to howl fiercely, and they hid from the monstrous gale inside their tents. Hank and Dr. Marley were in one, Simmons shared the other with Defago.

"After a time, Simmons fell asleep. That night, he awoke to the sound of Defago whimpering, cowering in the corner of the tent. The wind was howling louder than ever. Simmons asked Defago what was wrong."

Alex's voice fell to a trembling squeak.

"_Nothing_, Defago whimpered. The wind wouldn't stop blowing, and Simmons could see that the more it blew, the more terrified Defago looked.

"Then, as if by a trick of the brain, Simmons heard an airy voice carried on the wind."

Alex's voice dropped to a breathy whisper.

"_De-fa-go_

"Simmons shook his head, trying to rationalize what he'd just heard. The wind didn't talk. But then it he heard it again.

"_De-fa-go_ it whispered.

"Defago began to panic, his eyes rolled crazily in his head as the wind blow even louder."

* * *

Jake felt his hackles start to raise, and he shivered as Alex continued his story.

* * *

"Suddenly, Defago leapt to his feet and tried to race out the tent. Simmons grabbed him, holding him back from running out into the deathly cold wind. Then the wind whispered something new.

"_Simm-ons._

"Startled, Simmons released Defago as he too felt a strange desire to dash out the tent and into the freezing cold night. As soon as he was let go, Defago ran out the tent.

"Simmons blinked as he regained his senses, and he heard Defago's voice cry out in pain and terror.

"_AHHH! My fiery feet! My burning feet!_

"it was too cold to search for Defago that night, so the next day, Hank, Marley, and Simmons went out to search for Defago. They followed his foot prints, walking for hours. As they followed the trail, they noticed that his footprints grew farther and farther apart, as if he were taking great leaps, some almost 18 ft long. Alongside Defago's footprints were a set of round prints, as if someone had pressed a flat circle into the snow. Hank and Marley seemed to get more and more anxious as they followed the tracks farther.

"Even more disturbing, as the footprints grew farther apart, Defago's began to resemble the rounded pair, first growing into a narrow circle, then into a larger one. Finally, the tracks stopped altogether. As they stood where the trail ended, they heard Defago's voice call down from above.

"_AHHH! My fiery feet! My burning feet!_

"Thoroughly startled, the hunters decide to head back to camp, where they asked Simmons about the night before, when he finished telling them, they told him that they knew of tales like this. Simmons asked what they meant, and they replied,

"_What you described, sounds like the legend of the Wendigo_.

"They told Simmons of the Wendigo. It was a flesh-eating wind spirit, with the body of a man, and the head of an elk. Instead of feet, it's legs simply ended in burnt stumps. It would call the names of its victims, or if someone tried to stop the victim, it would call the captor, luring them into the forest where it would seize them, dragging them along at incredible speeds until their feet burned away. Then it would carry them into the sky, and drop them. Later, that person would rise as a Wendigo themselves.

"Simmons was unnerved by this story, and would have dismissed it as an old legend, had he not just lived through it. it was getting late, so the hunters decided that they would spend the night at camp, then return home."

* * *

By now, Jake was shivering in his fur, despite being so close to the fire, he looked at the faces of Finn and Marceline. Finn looked as freaked out as he was, and though Marceline didn't _seem _scared, she was pale, even for a vampire. He felt a bit better knowing that he wasn't the only one who was getting nervous.

* * *

"That night, the three were sitting around the fire, when a loud thump from just outside the light drew their attention. They spun towards the sound, and to their surprise, Defago lurched into the light, struggling to move in the deep snow.

"_Hail friends._ Defago called. _Would you be so kind as to let me warm myself by the fire. I have been lost in the woods, and am in need of food and warmth. Would you be so kind as to share some meat with me?_

"Simmons was surprised to see Defago, but Hank and Marley got nervous. Defago seemingly took their silence as affirmation, for he slowly lurched towards the firelight.

"Stepping out of the snow bank, they could see that Defago had a blanket wrapped around his feet. He continued to lurch as he walked, sitting on a log away from the others.

"Simmons and Dr. Marley didn't know how to react, but Hank's reaction was swift and fierce. He stormed up to Defago.

"_What beast are you, who wears Defago's form. For I have known him for over twenty years and I can plainly see that you aren't him._

"With that, Hank ripped the blanket from Defago, revealing his legs for all to see.

"Except he had no legs. Simply two jagged stumps. Defago grinned darkly, his eyes reflecting the light of the fire.

"_So, you have seen my burning feet. Now I shall have that meat I asked for._

"And with that Defago's face began to peel off, like the skin of an onion. Simmons dashed into his tent as he heard the sounds of tearing and rending, followed by the screams of his fellows. He looked back, to see a large humanoid shadow in front of his tent, branch-like antlers sprouting from its head. The wind howled and swirled around his tent, and Simmons began to scream at it.

"_Who are you? What are you?_

"And the wind whispered back.

"_Wen-di-go_."

* * *

Jake shivered as Alex finished his story. It was easily one of the creepiest he'd ever heard. Alex remained silent for a moment.

"So," Alex finally asked, "what did you think."

Jake was still trying to shake off the goose-bumps. He was still too freaked out to speak. The others spoke up though.

"It was..." Finn started, "freaky."

"Definitely creepy" Marceline added.

Jake finally thought of something to say.

"I'm glad it's just a story."

Alex grinned eerily.

"It's not."

Then, before elaborating, he leapt into a nearby tree and sat there, staring into the forest.

"Well," Finn began, "It's getting late. We should all get some rest."

"Yeah." Marceline agreed.

Jake was still so unnerved by Alex's cryptic last words that he went along with it. Soon, he and Finn had crawled inside their tent, and gone to sleep.

* * *

Later

Jake woke up to the sound of the wind blowing through the forest. To his surprise, Finn was already up, listening to the trees.

"Hey Finn," he muttered sleepily, "what are you doing up so late?"

"Nothing," Finn replied, "I just, couldn't sleep. That story kinda freaked me out, and this wind isn't helping."

"I hear ya there Bud." Jake agreed.

Suddenly, they both heard a whispery voice call from outside.

"_Finn._"

They both froze, listening. The voice called again.

"_Finn._"

Jake groaned.

"Aww, it must be Marceline messing with us."

Jake stretched his head out of the tent.

"Hey Marceline quit-"

But to his surprise, Marceline was lying in a tree, fast asleep. Alex was still sitting in the same tree he'd jumped into earlier, watching the forest. There was no sign that anyone else was around, nor that the others had heard the voice.

Pulling his head back into the tent, Jake was Finn looking around, looking anxious.

"Are you okay Buddy?" Jake asked.

"Yeah," Finn replied, "just a bit shaken up, and annoyed."

"_Finn._"

Suddenly Finn leapt up, drawing his sword.

"That's it," he shouted, "I'm going to find out what's messing with us and teach it a lesson."

Finn ran out the tent, Jake following. They rushed into the forest, before Jake noticed Finn's steps were getting longer, almost as if he were skipping. Jake noticed this, and panicked. He made a grab for Finn, who'd just noticed what was happening.

"Ahh!" Finn screamed, "My feet are burning! Jake, help me!"

They sped up, almost flying, and Jake couldn't keep up on foot anymore. He just planted his feet in the ground and held on, stretching to keep up. He pulled and pulled, but they wouldn't slow down. Finally, Finn stopped going forward, and just started rising in the sky.

"Jake!" Finn screamed, "Don't let me goooooo . . ."

But Jake couldn't hold on, and was forced to listen to Finn, his best friend, get pulled into the sky until he disappeared.

Dejected, Jake made the slow trek back to the campsite with his head hung low. He stepped into the clearing that they'd camped in, to find both Alex and Marceline gone.

"Alex!" Jake shouted, "Marceline! Somebody! Anybody."

Jake sat down by the cold ashes that were once the campfire. He couldn't figure out where the others had gone. Then, he heard a loud thump from within the trees. His head snapped toward the sound, to see a vaguely humanoid shaped lurching from the trees, a pair of antlers sprouting from its head.

Jake screamed, and dashed towards the tent. He shivered as the beast stomped around outside the tent, stopping before the entrance. The wind whipped the sides of the tent, and to Jake's horror, then entire tent was blown away. Jake snapped his eyes shut, praying to Glob for his end to be swift.

He felt a heavy breath blowing into his face, and Jake nervously opened his eyes. A horrific beast, with stumps for legs and an Elk's head stared back at him coldly. The it opened its mouth, its jagged teeth flashing, and roared in his face.

The world spun, and Jake's vision went dark.

* * *

Finn's POV

Finn stared down at his best friend, who'd fainted when "the Wendigo" had roared in his face. He grinned, then burst out laughing.

"Okay, Marcy," he managed to choke out, "let's go down and make sure he's okay."

Marceline reappeared and floated Finn back down from the tree he'd been hiding in. Finn walked up to the nightmarish being that had frightened Jake and shook it's hand as it shrank back into Alex Mercer.

"How did you even get that form?" Finn asked. "I've never seen a creature like that."

"I mixed the head of an elk with a human body, then added the leg shape of an elephant." he replied casually "I think I outdid myself there."

The three of them waited a few minutes for Jake to wake up. He was mumbling to himself.

"Is this Glob-World?" he muttered.

"Nope," Finn replied, "just payback for the mansion, and the train."

Jake shot up, realizing he'd been pranked. He scowled at the three of them.

"You three almost gave me a heart attack!" he screamed, "How long have you been planning thin anyway?"

Finn shared a look with Marceline and Alex.

"I don't know." Finn admitted.

"Didn't really keep track." Alex confessed.

"I think it was around after we fought that troll earlier today." Marceline stated.

Jake frowned, still looking angry. Then his expressing softened.

"Well, I guess I DID have it coming." he finally said, "And it WAS a pretty good prank. Just, give me a little warning next time. I'm getting too old for this stuff."

The four of them laughed, (well, Alex just kind of smirked) and packed up to begin their hunt again the next day. And perhaps it was for the best that they had this moment of friendship that night. For the road ahead was dark, and full of peril unlike any of them had seen before.

* * *

**Well, there you go. This is kind for just, filler. I really had no idea what to write, and I didn't want to move the story along too fast. Let me know what you think. R&R.**


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